The Green Bay Packers, in conjunction with the WIAA and the InSideOut Initiative, have announced that Peggy Seegers-Braun of Divine Savior Holy Angels High School in Milwaukee, Wis., has been named the first-ever recipient of the Green Bay Packers Athletic Director of the Year award.
Seegers-Braun is in her 37th year as the Athletic Director at Divine Savior Holy Angels (DSHA) High School, serving as an outstanding role model to the school's all-girls population.
"Peggy is a model athletic director who is well organized and supports her coaches and who is always driven by helping young female student athletes become the best person, teammate, and athlete that she can be," said DSHA Principal Dan Quesnell.
Seegers-Braun's track record as an athletics administrator, her inspiring leadership, as well as her involvement with the InSideOut Initiative exemplifies her outstanding abilities and passion for her position.
"I love what I do. I have dedicated my life to this profession and to helping young women reach their potential and see what they can accomplish in their lives," said Seegers-Braun. "To have the opportunity to be in this particular school, a Catholic, all-girls high school, has really made me the person that I am. Just that I can help young women discover who they are [means everything]."
Seegers-Braun also sees the importance of the work she and her coaches have done within the InSideOut initiative, a national movement that empowers and equips schools to implement purpose-based athletics by connecting student-athletes to transformational coaches in a culture of belonging for their social-emotional character development.
"The InSideOut program is one of the best programs I've had the opportunity to be a part of," said Seegers-Braun. "It really took things and narrowed them down to what is your 'why,' why are we doing this. I think in life sometimes we forget about our why, but that's what should really ground us. I share this with parents and my coaches take part in it as well. I think the InSideOut program is so impactful because we're always going to plan, practice and prepare to win, but it's our purpose that is most important."
"I offer a special congratulations to Peggy Seegers-Braun as the Green Bay Packers' Athletic Director of the Year," said Joe Ehrmann, President of the InSideOut Initiative.
"We are grateful to be partnered with the Green Bay Packers in supporting the InSideOut coaching initiative and we applaud the athletic directors in the state like Peggy Seegers-Braun, who have embraced the principles on which InSideOut coaching is based," said Stephanie Hauser, executive director of the WIAA. "We have seen firsthand the positive impact on coaches and student-athletes when athletic directors lead them using the purpose-based strategies."
Seegers-Braun grew up in Waukesha, Wis., and attended Catholic Memorial High School, where she excelled in volleyball and softball for the Crusaders. Upon graduation in 1979, she went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where she played softball for the Eagles. She graduated in 1983 with a double major in Physical Education and Health Education. Now, in her 37th year at DSHA, Seegers-Braun oversees 15 sports and continues to lead DSHA athletics forward with faith, heart and intellect.
Seegers-Braun is honored to win the Green Bay Packers Athletic Director of the Year award, but it's her position that truly means the most to her.
"It is very humbling to even be considered for the award, but to actually win it is very rewarding. I don't do this job for awards and recognition. I love being an athletic director and to get an award for something you love doing and have really dedicated your life to is really special," said Seegers-Braun.
Seegers-Braun is married to her husband, Don, and they have two sons, Taylor and Connor.
