LSU's multi-million dollar athletic training facility is named in honor of Dr. Martin J. Broussard, who served as head athletic trainer for the Tigers for more than four decades. "Doc" Broussard passed away of natural causes in the morning hours of Wednesday, June 11, 2003, in Baton Rouge. He was 84.As a student-athlete at LSU, Broussard lettered in baseball and track and field in the mid-1940s, winning the Southeastern Conference broad jump title in 1944 and finishing second in the 220-yard dash.
He served as head athletic trainer at the University of Florida and Texas A&M University before being appointed to the same position at LSU in 1948. The legendary Broussard has been an LSU fixture ever since. Broussard graduated from LSU in 1945 and received his master's of science degree from LSU in 1960, followed by a doctorate in 1967. He was promoted to full professor in 1970. Broussard has completed 45 years of teaching in Health and Physical Education and has retired as a full professor. He has served more than 50 years in the LSU Athletic Department.
As a distinguished colleague in the field of athletic training, Broussard was one of five people to establish our governing body, the National Athletic Trainers Association as well as one of three people to establish the Southeastern Athletic Trainer's Association. Dr. Broussard was inducted into the National Athletic Trainers' Association in 1978. Over the years, he has served on the NATA's Board of Directors and the Ethics Committee and was acting President of the SEC Athletic Trainer's Association on three occasions. He was most recently inducted into the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.
"Doc" was also an athletic trainer for the Pan American Games in 1955 and for the U.S. Olympic team in 1960. In 1963, he was name Trainer of the Year by the Rockne Foundation. In 1978, Broussard was named to the NATA Hall of Fame followed by the Louisiana Athletic Trainer's Hall of Fame in 1982.
Broussard with Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon in 1959.