Lady Tigers softball first baseman Danielle Shelton will get to continue her career in college — and she’ll get to do it 100% healthy. Shelton has signed a letter of intent to play at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas.
Starting her college career injury-free will be a sharp contrast to her senior season, when she played with a shoulder injury that limited her hitting and throwing. Because of the shoulder pain, she often didn’t even warm up before games.
“It was hard to go into a game to throw when I wasn’t warming up or anything,” she says. “I always had to worry about if i was going to make accurate throws or not, without getting to practice.
“It was really hard because everyone’s looking at you…so I just had to have a positive face and know and say the right things. I just had to know how to have a good poker face, and act like everything was good,” she says.
As the lone senior on last year’s team, she impressed Coach Lee Dishman with her attitude.
“Her leadership skills, the way she plays, and how hard she plays, is the ideal player,” Dishman says. “She keeps her mouth closed, gets her nose dirty, and plays.”
Shelton says she’s happy her injury-plagued senior season wasn’t her last.
“I’m just really glad that I have a chance to keep playing, and that that didn’t stop me from getting to move on to college. It just helped me to become a better player,” she says.
Shelton will be coached by Tamika Harrel at Coffeyville. The Red Ravens compete in the Jayhawk Conference.
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