Red Lerille’s 63-Year Legacy Earns HFA Hall of Fame Honors
The fitness industry remembers Lloyd “Red” Lerille, owner of Red Lerille’s Health & Racquet Club in Lafayette, Louisiana
For more than 60 years, bodybuilder and Red Lerille’s Health & Racquet Club owner Lloyd “Red” Lerille shaped the fitness industry through his dedication to his club members and community. News of his passing on March 14 has sparked an outpouring of tributes from friends and industry colleagues.
A longtime member of HFA (formerly IHRSA), Lerille was recently honored at The HFA Show in Las Vegas and inducted into HFA’s Hall of Fame class.
“Red Lerille forged a path to success that is uniquely his own, benefiting his members along the way,” HFA president and CEO Liz Clark said in a statement. “Few industry leaders were as well known to their members as those who belong to the Red Lerille’s Health & Racquet Club, simply called Red’s. For 63 years, he spent a good part of each day standing at the front desk of his club, greeting his thousands of members. He also gave most of the tours and sold most of the memberships. Red, along with his wife of 63 years, Emma, and their four children, built lasting relationships in the community and with his employees–many of whom have worked for him since the 1960s.”
In an article remembering the fitness great, HFA shared that as a young man in New Orleans, Lerille was a three-time high school wrestling champion, discovering his passion for fitness with inspiration from his uncle Harold. He soon turned to bodybuilding, competing in contests and winning the title of Mr. America in 1960 before joining the Navy. After his service, he managed a gym in Lafayette before opening Red Lerille’s Health & Racquet Club three years later. Committed to staying ahead of fitness trends, he continuously evolved the club. Today, the facility remains a family business, with Lerille’s grandson preparing to take the reins.
“The Lerille family, his community members and customers are in our thoughts and prayers,” Clark said.
