P1FCU Prep Athlete of the Week: Shelby Hanson, Genesee Softball
GENESEE, ID- The Genesee Bulldogs opened up the game with a 12 run first inning, and Shelby Hanson credits their performance to the work the team puts in on and off the field.
"Our coaches really pushed us every day in practice but also all the cheering that happens out in the dugout and on the field, you hit a ball and you cheer for each other," Hanson said.
Her success came in the batters box during their explosive first inning, ripping an RBI double down the left field line.
“My coaches always tell me to be patient because I'm always hungry to hit and waiting for that ball really allowed me to rip it, and once I saw it I knew I just had to go."
As for the defense, Hanson plays third base, but didn’t get too much action due to Kendra Meyers' dominant performance on the mound.
"She threw her first no hitter so we were really proud of her," Hanson said. "She’s just one of those girls where you know everyday she’ll show up for you, and it’s in her hands. She knows we trust her."
And their trust in one another led to last year’s state title run against the Potlatch Loggers.
"We believed in each other, and that’s what really drew us together," Hanson said. "It really pushed us for that, and even though we did lose to potlatch it was an outstanding game."
Hanson has played a key role beyond just the softball field. She helped bring their first annual Lili GC foundation fundraiser game to Genesee.
"I brought it up to my coach because I knew our team had something special, and just to include other schools along with us, because we wanted to work together to get through this," Hanson said.
"I’ve talked to some of of the other girls on the team in Kendrick, and just that communication and understanding of each other that we’re doing something good also makes us feel good and makes us super excited."
