Ashley Wenskoski, Senior
Every month, the PHS Pirates’ Pearl recognizes a faculty member at Palisades that we feel deserves more credit for their important work. This month, we decided to honor Mrs. Labant, who many athletes may know extensively but may be elusive to much of the rest of the student body. Graduating from Bucks County Community College with a degree in business, she previously worked in the accounting department for Scott Specialty Gases out of Plumsteadville. However, for the last sixteen years she has been a mainstay as the secretary of athletics at PHS.
A Palisades alumni herself, Mrs. Labant translated her own athletic success in field hockey, gymnastics, and track into a successful career. A longtime member of the district’s field hockey coaching staff as well as a prior coach at Bridgeton AAA softball, she was excited when the job opportunity arose in 2003 to become the secretary of athletics at the school that shaped her into who she is today. “Palisades is special for me because this is the place where I was born and raised and where I raised my children,” Mrs. Labant reflects. “I bleed purple and gold and I love this area and community.” The Labant family is deeply connected to decades of athletics at PHS, as her children both attended Palisades as well; her daughter Kirsten participated in softball and field hockey and graduated in 2007, and her son Matthew, a football and baseball standout, graduated in 2005. Palisades Baseball won the Colonial League Championship game in 2005, with Matthew hitting a homerun at Limeport Stadium, providing an unforgettable moment for his mom.
This year has provided new experiences for Mrs. Labant, as she worked under previous Director of Athletics Ms. Rebecca George for the entirety of her time here until Mr. Brian Gilbert took over the position last August. Working with Mr. Gilbert, who has shone new light on the athletic program, has been a positive experience thus far. “I enjoy it a lot, he has done a great job,” she exclaims. Her day to day job entails far more than most would realize. Just a handful of what she does involves running academic eligibility reports every Monday, finalizing team rosters, ensuring that athletes have PIAA eligibility, and ensuring that physical paperwork is collected and correct before the start of the sports seasons. She also assists Mr. Gilbert with scheduling, as well as a host of other important duties that Palisades athletics simply could not prosper without. The Pirates’ Pearl would like to extend a huge thank you to Mrs. Labant for all of her hard work!
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