‘Big Bird’ shows the way
Graham provides power, and unique walk-up music as Griffith pursues postseason success
Griffith senior Breeana Graham can tell you how to get to Sesame Street.
Who would know it better than the player they call “Big Bird”?
The 6-foot-3 Graham, who plays first base, was given that nickname after a growth spurt in middle school and has embraced that moniker ever since — even taking it a step further this season by using the “Sesame Street” theme song as her walk-up music.
“I just thought it was funny,” Graham said.
Her mother, Jenn Vanek, recalled it being a smooth process.
“She was always a foot taller than all of the other kids, and she’s blond,” Vanek said. “So they adopted that name for her and it stuck — and she’s loved every second of it.”
Given Graham’s height, there were opportunities available for her to pursue other sports. But the softball diamond always felt like the right place to her.
“It was the only sport that I liked,” she said. “I played some other sports, but I never liked them as much as I liked softball.”
Graham had her first taste of varsity time during her freshman season before her entire sophomore season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As a junior she was a fixture in the Panthers’ lineup, finishing fourth on the team with a .321 batting average and fifth with a .446 slugging percentage. She had three doubles, two triples and seven RBIs.
After focusing even more on her hitting in the offseason, Graham has had the most powerful bat for Griffith (9-13). She is hitting .315 and leads the team with a .574 slugging percentage, three home runs and 19 RBIs.
Graham has put up those numbers despite missing a week in April after spraining her left ankle during rundown drills. She initially thought the injury was far worse. “It felt like it snapped,” she said.
Griffith coach Michelle Castillo, who is in the first season of her second stint in that role, said she believed Graham was back at full strength when she hit her first home run of the season against Hobart on April 28. That hit helped her emerge from a 3-for-20 slump.
“She’s been great ever since she came off the injury list,” Castillo said.
Along with everything Graham contributes on the field, she has a personality that lines up well with a certain beloved character from “Sesame Street.”
“With her personality, her silliness and her goofiness, she just gets along with everybody,” Castillo said.
With the possible exception of opposing pitchers.
“She’s strong too,” Castillo said before gesturing toward center field. “She hit it off the scoreboard twice during soft toss.”
But when asked about her personal highlights from her senior season so far, Graham didn’t mention any home runs.
“I’ve definitely gotten a lot closer with this team than I ever have in the past,” she said. “This year’s just stood out more than any of the other years have.”
It’s not over yet either. Following a 16-0 win against Calumet in a Class 3A Griffith Sectional semifinal Monday, Graham and the Panthers will play for the sectional championship Thursday.
Graham’s career will extend beyond that too. She said she intends to play college softball.
And she’ll take the “Sesame Street” walk-up song with her.
“I feel like ‘Big Bird’ will be around forever,” she said.