METAIRIE, LA – St. Martin’s Episcopal School has hired veteran athletic administration professional Sue Bower as Director of Athletics. Bower brings experience from her 20-year tenure with Tulane Athletics. She was Head Women’s Golf Coach from 1992-2006. Bower also served in various departmental leadership capacities, most recently as Associate Athletic Director/ Senior Woman Administrator, and was a member of the Athletic Department Executive Team. She also served as the Executive Director for the Kate and Bob Devlin S-AFE Center for Leadership Development.
“Congratulations to St. Martin’s and Sue Bower for the match of a great institution and a great administrator,” said former Tulane Athletic Director Rick Dickson. “Sue will be a tremendous asset and bring wonderful energy and experience in leading the student-athletes and coaches of the St. Martin’s community.”
Bower is a graduate of Dartmouth College and a native of Hanover, NH. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including Coach of the Year awards from the National Golf Coaches Association (East Region Coach of the Year), the LPGA (Central Divison Coach of the Year) and the Louisiana Sportswriters Association. In 2011, the Tulane Greenbackers awarded her its first ever Distinguished Service Award, which now bears her name. Bower serves on the Board of Directors of The First Tee of Greater New Orleans, a top youth development program that teaches life skills and leadership through golf.
At St. Martin’s, Bower will be responsible for all athletic programs and facilities, as well as the physical education curriculum for grades Pre-K through 12.
St. Martin’s simultaneously announced the hiring of Pat LaForge as Middle and Lower School Athletics/ Physical Education Coordinator. A graduate of the University of New Orleans, LaForge has spent the previous 18 years as Middle School Athletic Director at Stuart Hall, and brings over 20 years of coaching and physical education experience to his new role.
Head of School Merry Sorrells commented, “It's a new era of athletics at St. Martin's as we welcome Sue Bower and Pat LaForge to lead our sports programs. I look forward to working with them both and to watching our sports programs grow and thrive! Go Saints!”
Founded in 1947, St. Martin’s is a coeducational, independent school that provides students from eight weeks through grade 12 with a challenging college preparatory education focused on development of the whole person. The school’s motto is, “Faith, Scholarship and Service.”
Pat LaForge
