BATON ROUGE – LSU senior guard Katherine Graham of the Lady Tiger basketball team served as a honorary coach at the 2011 State Indoor Special Olympics opening ceremonies over the weekend on the LSU campus.
Graham, a member of the 2011 Southeastern Conference All-Defensive Team and SEC Community Service Team, addressed the competing athletes and spectators at the event and wished them well. Graham also took pictures and signed autographs at the event, which featured a torch ceremony, a parade of athletes and the lighting of the Special Olympics “Flame of Hope.”
Graham said it was a familiar experience and one she enjoyed. A native of Birmingham, Ala., she has worked with people with disabilities before in her hometown with her mother Beverly.
“It was a great experience, especially since my mom has worked with special needs kids too,” said Graham. “Everyone is full of energy and finds the positives in their lives. It’s amazing to me and shows credit to them that they are able to compete with their disabilities. It put things in perspective. It’s an honor to be a part of that and serve as an honorary coach.”
Graham has been LSU’s third-leading scorer this season with 8.2 points per game and she leads the squad in assists with 102. The senior was named to the SEC All-Defensive team after pacing an LSU defense that ranked first in the SEC for the seventh straight season, allowing only 52.9 points per game. She started all 32 games this season and became the 25th player in school history to collect over 500 career rebounds.