Braves athlete enjoyed 3 sports each school year

December 29, 2017

For The Tribune

Shelby Stuckwisch said she has enjoyed her time as a three-sport athlete, and student, throughout her career at Brownstown Central.

“Everyone is so supportive here,” she said. “Our community is so supportive of Brownstown Central. It really shows at home games and stuff. We travel really well.

“Academically, our teachers are really good and work with us. If you need help you can go in and get some help.”

Stuckwisch is in her fourth season playing basketball, she will be in her fourth season in track in the spring, and was a member of the golf team the past three falls after playing volleyball for one year.

Stuckwisch started a few basketball games at guard her sophomore year, she started several games last winter and has been in the starting line up throughout this season.

She said she has been looking for her shot more this season.

“This year especially I want to shoot it more,” Stuckwisch said. “I’m taking more of a shooting role. The past couple years I’ve been more of the driver type. At Sauers I was a post player, but when I came into high school I was like ‘I can’t be a post player, I’m short.’ My height was definitely a big deal.

“I do feel a lot more comfortable now shooting 3-pointers.”

She said the type of defense she likes to play against changes from game to game

“It depends on the team,” she said. “There are some nights I would rather have man, but then there are some nights I would rather have them play zone.”

Her high-point game her junior year was 17 against Charlestown, she scored 13 her sophomore year against Hauser, and the scored 13 against Corydon Central in the Braves’ opening game this season.

The senior enjoys running and gunning in the fastbreak.

“That’s one of our main things: running,” Stuckwisch said. “We try to push the ball so they don’t have time to set up. You can get easy layups that way so that really works well for us.

The Braves were 11-4 going into the Toby Yoho Tournament today, and Stuckwisch said the Braves need a balanced scoring attack to continue to win.

“We’re going to have to work on our ‘in-and-out game’ and shoot the ball well, but when we’re not shooting it well we can go inside to Ashley (Schroer) and Payton (Farmer), our post players,” Stuckwisch said. “The key to our success is definitely our in-and-out game.

“The tournament gets us going during the Christmas season. We’re off for two and one-half weeks, so practicing for two and one-half weeks straight would not be fun.”

She played volleyball her freshman year but changed to golf her sophomore year, and became a regional qualifier and an all-conference player.

“I wanted to try something new,” Stuckwisch said. “There is something you can always improve in golf. In basketball you can make your shot better, but in golf you can always make your putts better. I would say putting was the strongest part of my game. “

Her lowest score was an 89 she shot her senior year at regional, and her lowest 9-hole score was a 43.

She said she enjoyed playing home matches at Hickory Hills.

“Hickory is nice,” Stuckwisch said. “My family was always there to support me. John (Olson, course pro) always had the course in the best shape it could be in so it really helped.”

Stuckwisch’s main events in track have been shot put and long jump, and she runs either the 4×100 or 4×400 relay in most of the meets.

She said her main event in track is the shot put, and she glides across the ring.

“I glide because I can move my feet fast, so it really doesn’t take a whole lot of strength, its more technique,” Stuckwisch said.

Stuckwisch enjoys the long jump and is hoping to reach 15 feet in the spring.

“I’ve ran both relays,” Stuckwisch said. “It just depends on the night,” she said. “I like the people on the track team. You get different people that run track. There are so many events and there are so many people that you become friends with that you wouldn’t become friends with without track.”

She said athletes need to practice hard and have confidence in yourself and in your teammates.

“Golf is an all-mental sport,” Stuckwisch said. “I struggled with that somewhat because you have to know that you can do well and make a nice shot. If you’re down you’re just going to keep going down. That’s a good thing about golf, you can have a bad hole but you can turn it around so fast.

“In basketball if you miss a shot you just have to keep shooting and make the next one. Mental toughness is definitely a key to anything.”

Stuckwisch said she has enjoyed the closeness of the student at Brownstown Central.

“Most of my friends play sports now,” she said. “I like being with them and making new friends. The bus rides are always a lot of fun.”

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Name: Shelby Stuckwisch

School: Brownstown Central High School

Parents: Gregg and Joy Stuckwisch

Sibling: Seth

Sports: basketball 4 years, track 4 years, golf 3 years, volleyball 1 year

Athletic honors: golf-regional qualifier 2 years all-conference; track: MSC champions; basketball-MSC champions

Organizations: Booster Club, National Honor Society, lettermen’s club, student council

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