THOUGHTS FROM LSU BASKETBALL MEDIA DAY

BILL MARTIN (10-14-09, 5:40 p.m.)
Today was media day for the Lady Tigers and as the sports information contact for the program, it is a busy but fun day. It's my job to serve as the liason between the media and our staff and players. The Lady Tigers are well prepared for speaking to the media. We are one of the few schools that actually puts the student-athletes through a media training seminar where they learn how to speak effectively and adhere to proper interview etiquette. This also is beneficial to the players as they go on to job interviews after college.

It's this day that signifies the beginning of basketball season. With practice set to start on Saturday morning, head coach Van Chancellor and the Lady Tigers each took their turn fielding questions from the media. The content of the questions was quite different from last year considering this time last year, LSU had lost all five starters and State Farm All-American Sylvia Fowles.

Today, the Lady Tigers have a year of experience and much of the attention went to 2010 National Player of the Year candidate Allison Hightower. Hightower has been through this drill for three years and is always great in an interview with the media. She needs no tips and answers questions like the leader she is. Her example carries onto the rest of the team. One member of the media asked Allison today, "You and (men's player) Tasmin Mitchell are kind of in the same process. You are leaders of your team. How do you handle that pressure?" Allison confidently answered the question, "There's no pressure at all. You go about your business as usual, work hard and lead by example." Both Tasmin and Allison will be participating at SEC Media Day next Thursday in Birmingham with Coach Trent Johnson and Coach Chancellor.

In closing, here is a great quote that LaSondra Barrett, the 2009 SEC Co-Freshman of the Year, gave to a question today: "It’s all about hunger right now and how hard we’ve worked. In this offseason, we have worked tremendously. Everyone has improved and carries it on the court. Impossible is nothing really.”

You can find complete coverage from media day, including video, audio clips and quotes at LSUsports.net. Follow the link below.

http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=204813482

Posted by Bill Martin