From “Crummy” to Cornerstone: The Story of the Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center

The transformation of space often tells a deeper story about a school’s priorities: what it values, what it learns from, and how it chooses to grow. At De La Salle, few places embody that evolution more clearly than the Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center.

Before its renovation and reopening in 2018, the building served a very different purpose, and not a particularly fondly remembered one.

“That cafeteria that was in, we're now the Performance Athletic Performance Center, I think call it now Ladouceur,” recalled Marilyn Gardner. “That was the cafeteria, and it was truly awful. It was really a bad place. It was just kind of creepy in there,” recalled Marilyn Gardner, former De La Salle CFO and Project Manager.

The issues extended far beyond aesthetics. At the time, student-athletes didn’t have access to a proper, centralized training facility. Instead, they made do with cramped, inadequate spaces that created real concerns.

“We had to have a weight room. Can you imagine all those kids in that tiny, little space? It was awful, and they'd be out in the parking lot, so there was a safety issue too,” Gardner said.

The lack of space led to scattered workouts and constant supervision challenges.

“They were working out everywhere, and there were safety issues, all sorts of issues, supervision,” she explained. “How do you supervise kids when they're part in a room and part out here, and they're all over the place?”

And yet, even in those imperfect conditions, something meaningful was built. Athletic Director Leo Lopoz reflected on the old space with a different kind of appreciation.

“The old weight room certainly had its challenges, but to me, it represented the tradition and legacy of De La Salle, helping lay the foundation for where we are today,” Lopoz said. “I speak for many in the athletic department when I say that space built character and toughness in countless ways. For those who trained there, it was more than just a room. It was a place where bonds were formed, memories were created, and championships were earned.”

The need was undeniable but so was the financial reality. Rather than demolish and rebuild, school leadership made a decision that would ultimately define the project: reimagine what already existed.

“That was another example of where we had to balance finances and need,” Gardner said. “Rather than tear it down, we used the old cafeteria and made it into a nice facility.”

What once felt neglected and inadequate was transformed into something purposeful and enduring. The LAPC is a space designed not just for performance, but for safety, structure, and community.

Today, the Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center stands as one of the most utilized spaces on campus, serving student-athletes across every program.

“It’s a beautiful facility now,” Gardner said. “It was a pretty crummy old cafeteria, for sure.”

There’s a quiet satisfaction in that contrast, between what was and what is.

“I think it’s beautiful,” she added. “And it’s well used, very well used. ”

Its impact, though, goes well beyond appearance. The facility has fundamentally changed how De La Salle trains and competes.

“The new Athletic Performance Center is a true game changer for our program,” Lopoz said. “As our commitment to sport performance has grown over the years, so too have the demands on our facilities. This new space allows us to meet, and exceed, those demands. It has opened the door for opportunities with our teams that we’ve never had before, elevating how we train, develop, and compete as an athletic program.”

And more than that, it reflects a broader truth about De La Salle: progress doesn’t always come from starting over. Sometimes, it comes from seeing potential where others once saw limitations and building something stronger, safer, and more meaningful in its place.