Emily Lou McLean
Community Contributor 1976 - 2016

Nurse/Trainer
40 Years of Service to SHS Athletics
Served 120 Seasons
Served over 48,000 Student-Athletes
Served over 15 Varsity Sports Programs
Named "Simsbury Hometown Hero" - 1987

For over forty years there was one name associated with every single athletic program at Simsbury High School: Emmie Lou. From 1976 until 2016 Emily Lou McLean covered thousands of sporting events for Simsbury High School. She seemed to be a permanent presence at home games as well as on team buses. During her tenure she used miles of athletic tape, applied hundreds of bags of ice, and gave many encouraging and congratulatory hugs. The trusting relationship between medical professional and athlete was very special at Simsbury High School because of Emmie Lou. Her dedication to the town was recognized in 1987 when she was named “Simsbury Town Hero.” Generations of athletes and their families benefited from her care and she holds a special place in many of her athletes’ hearts. Emmie Lou was a softball player and captain of the Culpeper High School (VA) cheerleading team. In 1958 she graduated from the University of Virginia School of Nursing. Prior to her arrival in Simsbury she served as a nurse in an office and in delivery, emergency, and recovery rooms. She served as the school nurse at The Master’s School in Simsbury from 1974 until 2006. She developed student-trainer programs and taught courses at the college level. Emmie Lou has lived in Simsbury since 1969 and her three children (Kathryn, Bruce, Nancy) all graduated from SHS and participated in soccer, lacrosse, and volleyball.