Shortstop Shelby Weeks wins MAC Silver MVP award

By Jon Malavolti
C & G Sports Writer

Five tools?

Check.

MVP award?

Check.

Warren Woods Tower’s Shelby Weeks added some hardware to her trophy case at the end of the softball season when she was named the MVP of the Macomb Area Conference Silver Division.

Despite being just a sophomore, Tower coach Lance Sell repeatedly noted the versatility and talent of his young shortstop.

“She’s a tremendous player,” the coach said. “She’s got so many attributes revolving around softball. She can hit for power, lay bunts down and is very, very fast. She has all the intangibles offensively. Defensively, she’s a super shortstop — has a great arm.

“She can do everything. There’s really not a weakness to her game.”

In response to winning the honor, Weeks said it was “very exciting.”

Statistically speaking, she can let her numbers do the talking for her.

She finished the past season with a .607 batting average, 55 RBIs and seven home runs.
The young phenom has put in the hours to earn the award.

“I go to batting cages, work hard at practice, and in the offseason … (it’s) just an ongoing effort to get to the top and stay successful,” she said.

Weeks helped lead the Titans to their second straight MAC Silver title, but knows she wasn’t solely responsible for her team’s success.

“They’ve very supportive; the team works together,” she said. “We wanted to win the division again. … We worked hard toward our goal. It was a team effort that everyone put everything into.”

With six seniors graduating from the squad, Weeks will have a new challenge at Tower — leadership. It’s a tough responsibility, but she said she is looking forward to it and will draw on the positive lessons displayed by the veterans of the team the past two years.

In the long run, Weeks hopes to play softball after her time at Tower is through.

“I love softball. I would love to play in college,” she said. “Even if it’s not at a big school, I just want to play.”

Sell insists she should have no problem finding somewhere to play at the next level.

“I really see her developing even more,” the coach said. “When it comes time, she’ll be a top prospect — there’s no doubt in my mind. Being it’s only her sophomore year … the sky’s the limit. She’s the best player I’ve coached in eight seasons at Tower, without a doubt.

“She has all the tools to go on and play. It’s not that often that you get a kid like this that has all those intangibles. She does everything well. What impresses me so much about her is her speed. When she hits the ball, for most kids that get a double, she’s standing on third. It sets her apart.”

“She’s a great kid,” the coach continued. I can’t say enough positive things about her. She does it all and she’s a good student, too.”

Check next week’s edition of the Warren Weekly for information on other local softball players who received postseason honors, including All-Conference and All-State.

You can reach Sports Writer Jon Malavolti at jmalavolti@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1040.