The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

My wife and I have always thought the world of Lisa Carlson (Loe). Lisa is more LR Raider than anyone I know. I used to tape her ankles before basketball games (This was the second time I worked in a hazard zone!) and then I’d sit back and marvel at her basketball prowess.

Lisa came from an exceptional basketball family so her fundamentals and game time “on the fly” IQ were exceptional. She was not the most athletic — slight of build, not that tall or fast — but she was a gamer, always reliable, who never backed down from anyone.

It was amazing that she played the post position against girls twice her size. At times these opponents would out-score or out-rebound her, but she would outplay them based on hustle and all aspects of the game offensively, defensively, and in transition.

She was such a smart player who was always in the right place at the right time. She would leverage her opponent’s strengths and weaknesses to her advantage. Often causing them to foul out, sending her to the free-throw line. My favorite assets that Lisa had were that she made her teammates better by getting them the ball, being protective of them and consistently modeling resilience and persistence. She was a coach’s dream because she put the team first, had a tremendous never-give-up attitude and was such a solid all-around player.

My wife told me Lisa carried these traits into her work at school and is missed by the school staff and kids, but she’ll always be a super star. We all realize how amazing it is to spend more time with our grandkids — every moment is priceless! We both hope she enjoys her well-deserved retirement to the fullest.

Fond memories,

John M. Adkins