Shante Evans: a Warrior Sensation in so Many Ways
We are fortunate in the West Chester Area School District that each year brings a new set of student stars who do well academically and also shine on the courts and fields while participating in our athletic activities. A very rare few of these students set sports records for their school, our district, the league, or the state. And then there is the ultimate honor – to have one’s number retired at the end of a high school athletic career. In 2009 we have had the enjoyable opportunity to watch, read about, and revel in the accomplishments of one very special student athlete, B. Reed Henderson’s Shante Evans.
Aside from her talent, work ethic, and extraordinary conscientiousness, Shante is respected and appreciated by her peers and teachers alike. She is a natural born leader with a quiet confidence that inspires confidence in others. She is the role model we always hope to find and point to; extremely respectful and truly representative of the ideal Henderson student.
Henderson’s Athletic Director, Ken McCormick, shared his view of the impact Shante Evans has made on the community, saying, “With all of the accolades surrounding Shante and her efforts, it’s easy to be impressed with her. What impresses me most is that despite all the athletic, academic, and social success Shante experiences on a daily basis, she has developed a well-grounded and respectful personality, and has matured to become an outstanding young lady.”
A listing of just the major accomplishments she has achieved while at Henderson could cover a full page. Among the most notable: she earned a full, four year scholarship to Hofstra University; she was a McDonald's All American and Nominee for the final team; and she was named MVP for three straight years at the Garnet Valley Tournament. In addition, she earned the following designations: 1st team All-Ches-Mont for four years; 3rd Team All-State for 2008; 2nd Team All-Southeastern Pa 2008; 2158 career points; 1st team All-State Pa 2009; 1st Team All-Southeastern Pa 2009; Player of the Year in the Ches-Mont 2009; and Shante earned a very impressive nod from the Daily Local News as being its 2009 Player of the Year!
Behind all those accomplishments stand some nearly unbelievable career numbers. Shante became the first and so far only Henderson Player ever to score over 2000 points in a career (boys or girls basketball). She finished with 2158 career points. She became just the 8th female in all of Chester County to score 2000 points in a career. And just to demonstrate that she can contribute at a championship level in sports other than basketball, Shante is a two-time gold medal winner in the PIAA Track & Field Shot Put event!
It should come as no surprise, therefore, that a Senior Assembly held on June 9th to honor the accomplishments of many of Henderson’s students this year included a formal retirement of Shante’s now-famous number 30 jersey.
AD Ken McCormick summarized the traits and abilities that he believes account for Shante’s amazing contributions to her team's and her personal accomplishments. “Many people in our school community mistakenly label Shante as merely being a tremendous athlete, and that’s an easy mistake to make. Shante has been All League, All Area, and continues to receive recognition from the local media and high school athletics associations. However, although athletics are extremely important to Shante, it is strength of character that continues to impress me. I have never observed a young adult who has a better understanding of what it takes to achieve a goal and who is more willing to dedicate herself to its attainment.”
Congratulations, Shante, and please think of the day you had your number retired as all of us expressing an open invitation for you to come back anytime to share your experiences with student-athletes who will do their best to match your accomplishments at Henderson.
For more information, contact Rob Partridge / WCASD Communications Director / 484-266-1170 / rpartridge@wcasd.net
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