The 78th year of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Quarterback Club kicks off on Tuesday, Aug. 30 at noon at The Cannery, 3803 Toulouse Street in New Orleans.
New Orleans Saints Owner Gayle Benson, Tulane athletic director Troy Dannen, Tulane Head Football Coach Willie Fritz, LSU Deputy Director of Athletics Verge Ausberry and Edna Karr Head Coach Brice Brown are the speakers for the first meeting.
A New Orleans native, Benson serves as an owner and Executive Officer of the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans. Her work with charitable organizations has established her, along with her husband Tom, as perhaps the most generous philanthropic givers in the region.
Dannen was named Athletic Director at Tulane on Dec. 4, 2015. He arrived at Tulane with 27 years of athletic administration, including 13 as a CEO. Dannen most recently served as Athletic Director at Northern Iowa, his alma mater, from 2008-15. Dannen is a native of Marshalltown, IA.
Fritz was named as the 40th Head Coach in Tulane football history on Dec. 15, 2015. With 23 years of head coaching experience, Fritz has posted an impressive record of 193-74-1 at Blinn College, Central Missouri, Sam Houston and Georgia Southern. Fritz has twice been named national coach of the year.
A former outstanding linebacker at LSU from New Iberia, Ausberry has served in athletic administration at his alma mater since 2001. He was named to the post of Deputy Director of Athletics in January. Ausberry supervises football operations, scheduling and management while overseeing track and field, among other duties.
Entering his second season as the head coach at Edna Karr, Brown guided the his alma mater to the Class 4A state championship game in 2015, earning area Coach of the Year from the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Quarterback Club. Brown played at Karr and Grambling and as offensive coordinator and line coach before being elevated to Head Coach.
Speakers from the New Orleans Saints, LSU, Tulane and Prep football will address the audience weekly, along with special guest speakers from the sports world locally and nationally. A local high school player of the week is chosen throughout the season with a metro prep player of the year announced at the end of the season, sponsored by the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Lunch is served weekly.
In addition, Chevron sponsors student-athletes of the week each week, who receive plaques and recognition for their accomplishments in the classroom.
Annual standard membership is $50 per person with premier annual membership at $80, which includes a Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Quarterback Club golf shirt and lapel pin, along with reserved seating. Luncheons are $20 per person for members and $25 per person for non-members.
SportsNOLA.com serves as the official web site of the GNOSF Quarterback Club while Compliance Technology remains a presenting sponsor, along with Strength Shoe, WGSO 990 AM and WHNO TV 20.
For more information on joining the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Quarterback Club, contact Stan Kottemann at (504) 908-6080 or at skotlaw@aol.com.
For more information on the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Membership program, visit www.gnosports.com or contact Tricia Lowe at (504) 619-6114 or at tlowe@gnosf.org.
**The GNOSF Quarterback Club also offers a season ticket package, covering dues and all 16 luncheons for $295, a savings of $80 over the course of the season.
