Northern State University
Head Women's Golf Coach/Senior Woman Administrator
1975-1996
The history of women's golf at Northern State University begins with Pat Fors. The professor emeritus of health and physical education at NSU guided the first Wolves' women's golf team in 1975 to a perfect 6-0 meet record which included a six-time medallist, Lorrie Allison (one tie with teammate Nancy Clary). Fors coached the team the next 21 years before retiring in 1996. But her dedication to athletics and physical education doesn't end with being a coach and teacher. Fors, who received her master's degree from Northern State and was hired by the NSU Health and Physical Education Department in 1957, didn't have the opportunity to participate in collegiate sports as women do today. At the time, women interested in sports could join the Women's Recreation Association. Fors made the most of that organization, participating in volleyball, basketball, softball and tennis. As a teacher fresh out of college with her bachelor's degree in 1953, she formed a modern dance group with high school students. Since then, she has presented numerous instructional aerobic or social dance programs for use in physical education classes. Beyond coaching, Fors has promoted not only golf but also the importance of physical education since the 1950's through presenting programs, clinics, and researching and writing articles for journals and newspapers. She helped organize NSU's first Women's Golf Classic in 1990; a fundraiser for women's athletic scholarships. In 1992, she was appointed Northern State's first NCAA Senior Women's Athletic Administrator. Fors was honored with the South Dakota Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (SDAHPERD) Honor Award in 1994 and the Central District AHPERD Honor Award in 1995. She has also received an American Red Cross appreciation award and remains active in the Aberdeen community where she currently resides.