Gerik Parmele photo

Hickman senior Shana White starred in softball, basketball and track for the Kewpies.

For all those single-minded athletes focusing on one sport in an effort to advance their athletic careers as far as possible, Hickman track Coach Steve Kissane offers Shana White’s exhausting senior year as evidence to the contrary.

White starred on Hickman’s district runner-up softball team, started for the third-place Class 5 basketball team and added three state track medals - including a second-place finish in the 100-meter dash - to top off a spectacular three-sport career by being named the Tribune’s high school girls athlete of the year.

"If anything, Shana’s year puts to rest all of the nonsense that you have to do one sport year-round to be successful at that one sport," Kissane said. "This kid personifies as much as any that kids can still excel in two or three sports at the high school level, and the college coaches really like that."

White started the school year with a solid softball season. Despite a nagging hamstring injury that kept her out of eight games, the rangy outfielder still batted .491 (28 for 57) with 14 runs, 14 RBI and 17 stolen bases.

"The ground she could cover in the outfield was amazing," Hickman softball Coach Courtney Haskell said. "Her ability to beat out an infield hit with her speed will be the things I’ll remember."

The end of the softball season brought a tough decision for White, who for the first time in her high school career contemplated not playing basketball. Although her parents left the decision up to her, White knew deep down that her father wanted to see his daughter on the basketball court for one more season.

"I knew that was the sport he loved," White said, "so I did basketball for my family."

White ended up pleasing a lot more people than just her parents.

"I am so pleased and excited for our team, her teammates and for her that she chose to play basketball this last year," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said. "It was truly a blessing for us."

White got a lot out of the basketball season, as well, saying it was the most enjoyable of the three sports she played. Although she only averaged 4.3 points, White was an integral reason why the Kewpies went 29-2 and were near the top of the state rankings all season.

Undersized for a post player, the 5-foot-10 forward used her quickness and athleticism to keep the ball out of the hands of the opposing teams’ top post players. White led Hickman in rebounding average (5.8) and blocks (23).

"She’s the most athletic post player we’ve ever had," Mirts said. "Her sheer athleticism, combined with her hard work, made her team so successful."

White might have saved her best performances for last during the track season. Easing into the spring because of a calf injury, White proved she was plenty healthy in April when she broke Lorinda Richardson’s 24-year-old school record in the 100 meters with a time of 11.76 during a meet at Lee’s Summit.

White kept going strong through the postseason, sweeping district and sectional titles in the 100 and 200. In a fitting finale at the state track meet in Jefferson City, White placed second in the 100, fourth in the 200 and ran a leg for Hickman’s eighth-place 800 relay to give her five state track medals for her career.

"The kid excelled in softball, was a stud in basketball and broke a longstanding school record in the 100," Kissane said. "I don’t know what more you need to validate the kid as one of the better athletes at Hickman in recent years - male or female."

After considering a track scholarship to Missouri, White chose to play softball and basketball at the NAIA level for William Jewell in Liberty.

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