Andrea Kelly returns for final season with Lady Tigers

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The following is written by Rachel Whitaker of the LSU Reveille

LSU women's basketball senior point guard Andrea Kelly has endured a great degree of adversity both on and off the basketball court.

From the death of her father when she was in eighth grade to two injuries in her second season at LSU in 2009-10, Kelly has earned the respect of her coaches and teammates through her ability to fight back.

Kelly got a medical redshirt for her senior season after she suffered a stress fracture in her foot last October that caused her to miss the entire season.

But the injuries did not stop there.

Kelly tore her right ACL in a game of pickup basketball during spring break and had surgery in April to repair the knee.

Now she's back on the court and going strong, having improved in several aspects during her rehabilitation.

"It was a learning experience getting to observe firsthand from a coach's standpoint the mistakes and the good things we did," Kelly said. "I was able to get a better understanding of the game as a student."

Kelly's main strength on the court for the Lady Tigers is her 3-point shooting. In the 2008-09 season — her first at LSU after transferring from Okaloosa-Walton Community College in Florida — she converted 34-of-84 shots from beyond the arc.

The 40.5 percent clip ranked as the eighth-highest season total in school history.

"She brings instant offense. She is a zone buster," said LSU coach Van Chancellor. "When you have her, you have a great teammate that can shoot. ... We had some lulls last year. Now she gives us that opportunity to score."

Kelly's first start came Jan. 25, 2009, against Kentucky, and she scored 15 points — all from behind the arc — including two 3-pointers in the last six minutes to clinch LSU's 59-56 win on the road.

LSU women's basketball assistant coach Joni Crenshaw said she can sense a distinct improvement in Kelly's game since her injuries, a mark of a mature, dedicated basketball player in Crenshaw's eyes.

"She's back. She's quicker and shooting it better than she was before she was hurt," Crenshaw said. "She got a sense of how much she was needed because we didn't have that 3-point threat last year."

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Lady Tiger bowling -- gutter balls and strikes!

TIA EASON: Hey Lady Tiger fans!!! This past weekend we had two recruits visiting so as a team we always want to show them a good time in Baton Rouge. We decided to take them bowling and it was a lot of fun. As always, there were a lot of gutter balls but there were also a lot of strikes. Our team has a lot of good bowlers on it. I love bowling -- it's a great sport and a lot of fun. We had three different teams and the team that we thought was the worst won. The most surprising bowler was Theresa I believe she had five strikes and her team won. It's always great to go out and have a good time with your teammates --  thats a bond that will last forever. 

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Travis Mays -- the Lady Tigers' "Shot Doctor"

 

BOB STARKEY: Not everyone knows it but before he joined our women's basketball staff, Travis and I had already went head to head.  I was new on Coach Dale Brown's staff at LSU in 1989 and had the Texas scout for our game with the Longhorns.  It was one of the more memorable games I've been associated with as we were able to win 124-133 -- it was like an NBA game.  Chris Jackson has 51 that afternoon with Shaquille registering a triple-double.  But I knew going in that Texas was an outstanding shooter and he drilled us for 30 points!  After an All-American career at Texas, Travis than enjoyed a great rookie season in the NBA before constantly battling injuries that shorted his pro career.  LSU is the recipient of his bad luck by gaining an outstanding shooting instructor.

TRAVIS MAYS: I’ve been blessed in my lifetime to have been taught the art of shooting by some excellent coaches and I’ve always enjoyed passing down what I’ve learned.  Shooting is a blend of the physical and the mental combined with a special discipline if you want to master it.  Here are the three primary things I work on with the Lady Tigers:

 1.  Mechanics  may be the most important. This consist of many things:  balance, hand to ball positioning, complete extension of the elbow, and follow through.  First you must understand why each of these steps are important to the shot.  I have found that once a player understands the why  and how each mechanic  affects the outcome of the shot, the quicker they buy into the execution of it.  If you are able to achieve this, the player’s shot  improves at this point. 

 2.  Repetition.  There is no substitution for shooting the proper way to create not only muscle, but mental memory.  This is essential for success because this is where confidence is created.  If you shoot  the  basketball  with proper mechanics and confidence you will get the results you are looking for. Which leads me to the final key.  Every great shooter has it. Trust!

 3. Trust it.  Enough said.

DESTINI HUGHES: One thing that Coach Mays has helped me with on my shot is being free and pushing through the ball. Instead of holding the ball right before I shoot, he taught me to make it all one motion and to finish my shot by pushing all the way through the ball. He taught me to push through the floor with equal strength of both legs and to reach not only with my right arm but with my left as well. He said if the ball ever hits the right side of the rim or fall short, then that means I didn't follow all the way through and if it hits the left side of the rim, then that means I didn't reach with my left hand to keep the ball from favoring that side. All my misses should hit the back of the rim, not left or right. He told me to practice the techniques and not worry about if the ball goes in or not because the ball will take care of itself. He said every great shooter don't focus on making the shot, they focus on the techniques which leads to a made shot.

ADRIENNE WEBB: One thing Coach Mays has taught me on how to improve my shot was not just to shoot the shot on my way up and get some air under it but to also shot for the back of the rim. Shooting for the back of the rim gives your teammates a chance to rebound in case you happen to miss the shot.

KATHERINE GRAHAM: Coach Mays has helped tremendously with my shot! He helps you realize that going back to the basics and learning he key components of making your shot more effective seem effortless. One of the things he has helped me with is to get under the ball, which has helped create a better arch on my shot, as well as release the ball freely. I think Coach Mays can hold a clinic on how to shoot a basketball, and give drills on how to improve you shot.

TIA EASON: Coach Mays really emphasized holding my follow through when shooting the basketball. He also told me to get a lot of repetition and practice in. He said that the more shots you put up the more confidence I would have in my shot. I have seen a difference in my shooting from using coach Mays shooting points.

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Lady Tigers visit children at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital

LASONDRA BARRETT: Saturday morning our team took a visit to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital to brighten the day of young children who are ill or hurt.  We saw children from the ages of 5 to 14 and greeted them with our prescence, a Lady Tiger basketball, and a Van Chancellor t-shirt.  It was amazing to see these young children with so much joy and energy, even though they are going through hard times.  Seeing them made me appreciate things such as my health and having the ability to play basketball.  These things can be so minor to people until they are taken away.  Each and everyone of the children at Our Lady of the Lake put a smile on each one of the Lady Tigers faces because they taught us that the small things we complain about aren't nearly as tough as the situation they are in.  I enjoyed the visit to the hospital and I look forward to many more in the future!!”

TAYLOR TURNBOW: "My experience at the hospital was remarkable and heartwarming. It was really inspirational. It made me want to do more with what I have and never forget to be thankful for what I have and where i come from." 

JEANNE KENNEY: "It was amazing to see how much kids look up to the lady tiger family.  Donovan is 14 yrs old and was speechless when we walked in. The joy that came to his face was the absolute best feeling in the world to me.”

THERESA PLAISANCE:After visiting the children's hospital yesterday I now appreciate even more my health and well being. I sometimes complain about how hard it is to be a student athlete with my hectic schedule and difficult workouts but now I realize how much of a gift it is just to be able to participate in these daily activities. My heart and prayers go out to all these children and their families. And seeing the happiness we brought to these children makes me want to do more to give back to the community.”

SWAYZE BLACK: “On Saturday, September 11 we got the chance to go to Our Lady of the Lakes Hospital to visit with the kids that were there. I really dislike going to hospitals but I can honestly say being able to visit those kids and make them smile at such a tough time was one of the best feelings in the world. I definitely enjoyed being there and I really admire how strong those kids are. It was such a great experience.”

 

ADRIENNE WEBB:Visiting the children in the hospital on Saturday  was a wonderful experience. It made me appreciate all the opportunities I didn't have to miss out on due to any illness or injury that these children are suffering from; and still with those illnesses and injuries these children know how to enjoy the precious life they had. I am greatly appreciative to have the opportunities that I have been presented with and happy that I was able to participate in the hospital visit on Saturday. These experience gave me a new perspective on enjoying the little things that life has to offer you.”

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Nicci Kelly talks about her road to recovery from her ACL injury

ANDREA KELLY: I knew immediately when I landed on my leg wrong that this was more than just a knee sprain or tweak. The thing that I thought would never happen to me, happened at a time when I was just trying to regain hope into my playing future. I was working out in the spring offseason, just returning from two stress fractures in my feet, when I found out that I tore my ACL in my right knee. You can imagine the thoughts flooding my head at this time. I remember laying out helpless on the floor hearing thoughts in my head like, “that’s it,” “you’re done,” “give it up,” “quit,” or “it’s not worth it.” I experienced injuries in my career before, but now I was at a point where all I had to look was up. So I did what all I knew I could do, trust in God.

           

I tore my ACL on April 6, 2010. I was scheduled for surgery exactly two weeks later for reconstruction and repair. When I first told my coaches and teammates about my injury, I didn’t know what to expect. However, I was reassured when all I received was love, support, encouragement, and strength to help me through this time. I knew then there would be no other place I would rather be than around my Lady Tiger Family. This would be my first time going into surgery and I wasn’t afraid or fearful at all. I was actually excited and anxious to get it over with because the quicker I could have surgery the sooner I could start my recovery and rehab. Not only that, I had my friends and family around me praying for me the whole time. I had surgery on April 20, 2010 and my initial MRI revealed a torn meniscus and ACL. I went into surgery and the doctor found that my meniscus was fine and healed already and said that the ACL repair was a success.

 

I have to take this time to express my gratitude and thankfulness to the greatest trainer in the world, Micki Collins! From the day she found out I tore my ACL to this present day, Micki has been there with me through this whole process and has pushed me and encouraged me to do the best I can and more. It’s not just a job for her. Micki genuinely cares for all the players as people and wants the best for us like any mother would want for her children. Even after five months, I still feel the same care and push from Micki I did when I first tore my ACL, and for that I am thankful.

 

I started rehabbing my knee the day after surgery. I determined in my mind and heart that I would push everyday to get better and be ahead of schedule. The one thing that kept me going was my faith in God. Reading His Word everyday gave me strength when I should have been weak and it continues to give me peace. His Word says in 1 Peter 2:24b that “By his wounds you are healed.” I spoke that to myself everyday, even now. I didn’t want to think at any time that I was injured; instead I just told myself that I’m only getting stronger.

 

The first two weeks were pretty tough. My goal was to just get some rotations on the bike and make it turn on. I practically lived in the training room. After spring semester was over I stayed for intercession, summer, and the second intercession so I could continue to rehab. For the first month I would ride the bike, work on my extension and flexion motion with a variety of exercises and did exercises in the pool. I pictured in my head where I wanted to be by a certain time frame and set out to do it. By the first month I was walking and by the third month I was running and lifting weights with the team.

 

Now, I am about five months post-op and very close to being done with rehab. It’s still a journey but it’s a journey that will be finished. I am excited for where God has brought me from and the many lessons I had to learn about humility and brokenness. I am also thankful for all of my teammates, coaches, trainers, friends, and family who have helped me along the way. I definitely could not have made it without them. I am excited for this upcoming season and look forward to a great Lady Tiger year!

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Lady Tiger staff participates in Shaquille O'Neal Golf Tournament

The LSU Lady Tiger staff including Travis Mays and Angela Jones spent the day at the Shaquille O'Neal Golf Tournament.  The annual event is held to raise money for the Shaquille O'Neal CHAMPS Life Skills Program and is always one of the feature golf events in Louisiana. Shaq was in rare form, no doubt still feeling good after defeating Charles Barkley in Shaq Vs.

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Big Syl addresses Lady Tiger team

KATHERINE GRAHAM: One of the greatest gifts we can recieve as a team is being able to have a relationship with former players. This was one of the first times that Sylvia Fowles has had time of from playing basketball and wonder how she spent her Saturday morning? In the Sue Gunter Complex sharing wisdom with this years team. Its always great to see alumni return and tell us about thier experience what they plan on doing in the future endevors, as well as talk about some of the coaches! There were a lot of great questions that were asked and Syl did a great job of answering them honestly. Her personality and passion for this program was evident in every word she spoke. In this meeting Syl allowed us to be very personal and develope a close connection to her journey of how she became the player she is today, and what motivates her to continue to work hard and become better. We thank Syl for her insight and wisdom that was shared and wish her all the best in her foundation, as well as her basketball career. Until next time Lady Tiger Fans!

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

Lady Tigers kick off year with CHAMPS Back to School Bash

As has become tradition at LSU, all student-athletes joined together for the annual CHAMPS Back to School Bash.  This year the event was held in the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse.  The event includes all the student-athletes from the various teams at LSU along with all the coaches and the administration at LSU.  Another keynote to the event is great food and there was a wonderful spread of bar-b-que for all to enjoy.  Athletic Director Joe Alleva kicked the evening off by welcoming all the student-athletes back and encouraging them to take full advantage of the many resources available to them to succeed.  Tiger Athletic Foundation CED General Ron Richard then took a moment to also welcome us all back while letting us know how hard they are working on our behalf.  From there is was on to the competitions for the night with all the student-athletes placed in selected teams.  This is a great way for them to get to know the other student-athletes from the other sports.  It was another great evening and were certainly owe a great deal of thanks to Mike Mallett and Jade Jenkins on all the people at CHAMPS for again helping us to start the school year in grand fasion!

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

2010-2011 Lady Tiger hold first team meeting

At 2:00 PM in the Sue Gunter Complex, the 2010-2011 edition of the LSU Lady Tigers gathered for the first time as unit for their season opening team meeting.  Unlike the past where they were great by Coach Van Chancellor with a nice "welcome back to campus" speech, the team was hit quickly with a list of expecations and areas of improvement along with a game plan for accomplishing both.

"I felt that we needed a sense of urgency to start the season this year and it was my job to set the tone," said Coach Chancellor.  "We have a wonderful opportunity to have a good team this year but it's only an opportunity if we don't lay a foundation in the next few months."

Usually thinks like team goals have been collected in early October but this the team set upon one goal that will effect them from this moment forward.

GOAL #1: being the absolute BEST we can be EVERYDAY!

"It's a goal that is process driven as opposed to being result oriented," said Coach Chancellor.  "We can apply this goal today, tomorrow and the next day.  It can be applied to class, conditioning, weighting training, practice, games -- absolutely anything."

Another point of emphasis for the Lady Tigers will be improved mental toughness.  Coach Chancellor spoke to the team in terms of them allowing to many outside factors effecting their player last year.  He also told the team that "mental toughness is one of the few traits that effect everything else on the basketball court."

Communication was another area that Coach Chancellor listed as a necessary area for improvement.  "We want to talk more, talk often and talk loud."  Every great team I've been associated with or observed has been an excellent communication team."  He also added that listening was another area of communication that he wanted to improve upon.

Still yet another topic was to "finish."  Coach Chancellor said that the team must first learn to finish in drills, both in practice and conditioning before they can consistently finish plays and games.  He vowed to push the team in this area.

The meeting also saw the team receive their notebooks for the year and they also received a personal letter from Coach Chancellor."I really liked the sense of urgency in the meeting," said co-captain Katherine Graham.  "This is my senior season and I want our team to strive to be the best that we can be."

Andrea Kelly, also a co-captain, echoed KG's thoughts:  "Coach Chancellor certainly laid it out there for us and I thought our team had a great attitude in receiving his message and knowing what we need to do."

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Posted by Bob Starkey 

The original Fast Break Club and some thoughts on the Mick

COACH STARKEY: Last night was our Fast Break Club Summer Cookout and was a tremendous success.  Gotta start with a big shout out to Chico Moore.  I've known Chico for 25 years -- since my first arrival to LSU -- and he has and continues to be one of the absolute best friends of LSU Athletics.  From our staff, Angela Jones worked with Chico and put the event together and I think if you ask anyone and was an incredible evening.  I know Coach Chancellor has already blogged about the night but there was one photo that was special to me.  It shows Coach Chancellor sitting with Darlene Foster, John Hawie and Howard Jones.  These were Fast Break Club members that have been with us the longest that attended last night.

I also wanted to talk a little bit about our trainer, Micki Collins.  She is one of the most special people I have come across in athletics.  She is tireless worker and compassionate person who cares deeply about everyone in our program -- and those who aren't in our program.  And now she's a mom!  It's pretty amazing to watch her and her husband Ken (who is of course also a big Lady Tiger supporter) raise Granger.  They are amazing parents.  Yet somehow Micki doesn't miss a beat at work and actually has allowed our families to be a part of hers.  Micki brought Ken and Grange along last night and Granger was kind enough to entertain us for a bit in the yard playing some football (hey, it is LSU). 

Friends and family -- The Lady Tiger Way!

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Posted by Bob Starkey