Katie Smith

[Bballin4life]

She is still playing and playing very well. She is still a very good scorer and can still take over the game when needed. Leave you thoughts on her.

[93Bulldog]

Being a 1993 graduate of Athens - I don't even want to think about Katie! lol

Young folks don't remember how big the rivalry actually was (maybe the biggest rivalry in southeastern Ohio - if you don't count the 'southern Ohio' rivalries like Ironton and Portsmouth) ... But katie crushed the hearts of Athens fans year-in-and-year out ... The Bulldogs had great teams - but always finished 2nd fiddle to the Chieftains ... Katie, Tez Craft, Melissa Cooper, Tammy Hampshier ... Just an unbelievable team - there will never be another team like it in these neck of the woods.

[Ironman92]

Very simple....

THE most dominating high school athlete I have ever witnessed. No one is even close. Comparing a girl to her that plays now....just don't. She would've scored 1,000+ for the boys. She had a great supporting cast (understatement)....but I watched games I swear she could've won playing 1 on 5.

The stories are legendary....I'll share a couple later on.

[Ironman92]

Tex? Lol

[noreply66]

TEZ

Katie still has the shot put and discus record in the SEOAL even ran some good times in sprints too

[93Bulldog]

The X is next to the Z on the keyboard ... lol ... Oooooops.

BTW - Katie would have probably been the best volleyball player ever had she focused her time toward it ... Volleyball just wasn't as big as it is now.

I can't even imagine her on the front line - she would have totally dominated the net.

[93Bulldog]

One of my favorite Smith memories: Athens was undefeated in the SEOAL heading into Logan to play on that ridiculous stage - we brought a nice crowd for a girls game back then - but thoughts of a possible upset was short lived after Katie put up 50 points on my Lady 'Dogs! 50 freakin points ... That's just crazy.

I know we've had some good players around here recently like Sina King from Waterford - but playing at a MAC school is a far cry from leading THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY into a national title game.

[rickoshay]

And....Katie is the all time leading scorer in the WNBA.

[amazinghocks]

One of my favorite Smith memories: Athens was undefeated in the SEOAL heading into Logan to play on that ridiculous stage - we brought a nice crowd for a girls game back then - but thoughts of a possible upset was short lived after Katie put up 50 points on my Lady 'Dogs! 50 freakin points ... That's just crazy.

I know we've had some good players around here recently like Sina King from Waterford - but scratching out playing time at a MAC school is a far cry from leading THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY into a national title game.

I know this topic is on katie but go look up Sina from akron their leading scorer went down and she has played well. She is a key for the lady zips. Though no smith...still doing well

[93Bulldog]

Glad to hear that ... I wonder if Iris Butcher is doing well or playing at all?

BTW - The comment made wasn't a knock on Sina - it was just to show how phenominal Katie is/was ... I really enjoyed watching Sina and Iris play a few years back, they are both great players as was Liz Howarth (Athens) and Kim Kline (NY).

[amazinghocks]

That's a good point. Iris is not listed on Kent's roster

[supermama]

Spoke with Iris' dad, Joe, a couple of weeks back and he said that Iris had asked to be released from Kent and wasn't going to be playing anymore.

[Vladd]

Spoke with Iris' dad, Joe, a couple of weeks back and he said that Iris had asked to be released from Kent and wasn't going to be playing anymore.

Always enjoyed watching Iris play. I wish her the best in whatever she does.

[Ironman92]

1988-89 My freshman year....several of us decided to go to the girl's basketball game. Jackson was very good and had several excellent players. During the JV half Logan varsity came out of the stands to shoot around. Well being freshamn boys we started poking fun of one particular girl who was about 5'9 or 5'10....MC Hammer pants....1988 rough hair. As we are being immature I noticed something. The entire time we were poking fun....she was shooting free throws....and had not missed a single one. Somewhere around 25 in a row. As they come out for the varsity warmup....they are in their god-awful warmups and this particular girl looked to be quite impressive as she caught my eye. The layup drill came about and the attention rose....she ripped off her tear away pants....attention rose more.....she drop stepped and grabbed the RIM......Holy Mother of God! Maam, you have our attention!

Game begins and well.....this girl (who turned out to be a freshman...and later 3 time Olympic Gold Medalist)went from not overly attractive to jaw-dropping. Against a very good team she went for 28 I think in the first half....doing stuff girls just could not do. During half-time we were conversing about whether she could play 1 on 1 with Michael Jordan. lol She ended with a cool 34 and just made our best players look ridiculous.

Needless to say....when Katie came to Jackson....the gym was packed to see the show.

Volleyball you ask? Her senior year, again Jackson is loaded and I believe went to regionals that year. During warmups she is hitting balls and you honestly couldn't even see the first part of the ball moving after her spike. As warmup ended she took a volleyball and slid it over the rim, not a throw down dunk.....but goodness. First game they are leading 14-13 and she goes up to spike out the first game and smears the ball and somehoe one of our back row player pops it up and it goes right back over the net to her and Katie jumped up and spiked the ball and it smeared the girl in the face. We thought it killed her....she didn't play the rest of the match. TO this day I haven't seen anyone hit a volleyball like her.....and really I haven't seen anyone close.

Track? Shot put.....stadium record.....discus.....stadium record....then I'll go over to the 100m meter dash and win it while I'm at it.

Graduated the Big Ten's all-time leading scorer. She is not the all-time leading scorer in the WNBA...but in Women's Professional basketball which included her 2+ years in the ABL....which they won both championships. She scored 34 points in the NCAA Championship game her freshman year.

1992 Gatorade National High School Athlete of the Year (I've got a couple of those as well)

She could've scored 50 a game....zero doubt.

I wish I could go back in time to my 4 years of high school and better appreciate what she did in high school just those few times I got to watch her. Completely unbelievable.

[93Bulldog]

Good stuff I92 ... Some people might not believe she could actually get as high as the rim - but that is a fact.

After Katie dropped 50 on us up in Logan ... She was so pumped, she sprinted down the to the end of the court where our student section was - leaped up - grabbed the rim (then pulled herself up) and stuck out her fist and let out a scream. Needless to say - I think she hated us and Athens ... lol ... Maybe it was all the mean chants we yelled at her throughout the game. (I won't repeat any of them - although I do still remember a few) ... Bottom line - it probably wasn't the best strategy to aggravate & motivate such an incredible athlete like Katie ... lol ... Pretty much a dumb move on our part.

[noreply66]

I think it was coach Fraunfelter that told the story about him going to Texas with something to do with track and he was talking to another coach from Texas and was ask where he was from and he said Logan, Ohio and the coach said something back --like the home of Katie Smith.

[Orange and Brown]

I have met Katie a couple times and she is so nice. She is an outstanding superstar in Basketball and she comes from a great Family. Her Mother was a Teacher at LHS and one of my favorites. She never got the attention as some of the other stars in the WNBA because she isn't considered pretty as the other women, but IMO she is they greatest female athlete I have ever seen. She is def the MJ of wmens Basketball.

[93Bulldog]

I look at her as the 'Larry Bird' of womens basketball ... Hence, the reason she doesn't get the atention as some of the other players in the WNBA - if you get my drift.

[Hercules]

i have watched HS girls basketball since they started playing.....yes I'm that old....Katie is without a doubt the most dominate player that I've ever seen!!! Even tho SEO has had a lot of great players over the years she is still the standard to which everyone is measured!!!!

[Ironman92]

She won 3 gold medals....but she should've been on the 1996 team and I promise you in 1992 (3 months out of high school)...she could played on that team as well.

Professionally.....one of the best shooters ever, one of the strongest players ever, one of the best defensive players ever, one of if not THE best offensive players ever = best female basketball player ever.