Our Volunteers

The success of the Program’s sailing camps is the result of the dedication and expertise of a team of volunteers. Most of the volunteers are experienced sailors who have informally taught others to sail- both adults and youths.

Steve Babcock

Steve is a recently retired physics and environmental science teacher and Louisiana Science Teacher of the Year. He is a certified rescue diver and competitive stand-up paddle boarder. His sailing experience consists mostly of dinghy cruising and camping around the central Gulf Coast. He is excited to share his passion for the water with the next generation of sailors!

Henry Barrouse

I began sailing in 1970 in a 12 ft. sloop-rigged dinghy.   I grew up through numerous boats to my current boat, a 30 ft Hunter which I have owned, maintained and sailed for 41 years.  Most of my sailing has been along the central coast of the Gulf of Mexico, between Mandeville and Panama City, including the numerous barrier islands in between.  For the last 20 years, I have belonged to the Corinthian Sailing Association of Lake Pontchartrain.  My activities now consist of maintaining my boat and sailing in the various races of the Corinthian Sailing Association.

Scott Thibodeaux

I began sailing in 1979 at age 18 with my father, Louis J. Thibodeaux. We sailed a Catalina 25 on Beaver Lake in Northwest Arkansas, where he was a member of the Beaver Lake Yacht Club. We immediately entered the local sailboat racing scene and enjoyed great success for several years.

In 1985, our family moved to south Louisiana, bringing our Catalina 25 with us. From 1985 to 1996, I cruised and raced on Lake Pontchartrain and along the Mississippi and Louisiana Gulf Coast. In 1996, I moved the boat to Lake Ouachita in Arkansas, where along with my wife Carla we had the pleasure of watching my daughters learn to sail on the same vessel where I first developed my skills.

Throughout my years on the water, I have crewed and skippered several bareboat excursions in the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, and Belize. However, the highlight of my sailing resume is the three years I have spent as a member of the volunteer team for the Louis J. Thibodeaux Youth Sailing program.