Looking Back At AA Kate Graw

From the Capital-Gazette:

Kate Graw of Davidsonville first picked up a lacrosse stick as an 8-year-old. It was 1986 and the Davidsonville Athletic Association started a girls’ lacrosse program so simplistic that practices were held in the front yard of coach Millie Nye. Graw and Amy Nye (South River, Brown University) would become standouts for strong Gators squads coached by Steve Barry.

Somewhere along the way Graw began playing summer lacrosse for the Quick Stix program led by Cathy Samaras and Sue Chittim, arriving at Severn School as an extremely skilled player.

Graw was a three-sport standout at Severn, also earning All-County honors in soccer and basketball en route to being named Capital Gazette Newspapers Female Athlete of the Year for 1995-96.

“Kate has always been very focused on whatever she did and she had three older brothers who taught her to be competitive,” Dr. Robert Graw said. “Kate really enjoyed the camaraderie of playing sports with her brothers and she never found any pursuit too challenging.”

Dr. Graw praised the “nurturing environment” his daughter found within the Davidsonville Athletic Association and at Severn School. He realized quickly that Kate had the drive, determination and desire to compete at the Division I level.

Graw was initially recruited to play basketball at Darmouth, but wound up pursuing lacrosse after taking a recruiting visit with Annapolis resident Jacque Weitzel (Garrison Forest), who would become one of her best friends. Those two were key members of Big Green teams that captured four consecutive Ivy League championships.

Graw proved so versatile she was named a second team All-American as a defender her sophomore season, repeated as a second team selection while playing midfield as a junior then earned first team laurels after being moved to attack as a senior.

“That shows Kate’s athletic ability and willingness to play wherever I needed her to help the team,” said Amy Patton, head coach at the Hanover, New Hampshire school from 1993 through 2016. “Kate was a prolific player for Dartmouth women's lacrosse – an exceptional athlete and student of the game.”

Kate Graw Lamond, along with Megan Riley Clark, Jack Schofield and Josh Sims will be in the USLacrosse  chapter's Class of 2019 at an enshrinement dinner on Thursday, January 24, at the Annapolis Elks Lodge #662.

You can read about  Megan Riley Clark at:    https://davidsonvillenews.blogspot.com/2018/12/megan-riley-clark-in-lacrosse-hall-of.html