Graduation dawns, and once more the schools say goodbye to some of their most accomplished student-athletes. However, Ware County High will soon enjoy one of its more popular stars remaining close to the swamp. Lizzie Shubert, who recently capped a three-sport prep career, is continuing her athletic pursuits as a softball player at South Georgia State College.
“Lizzie has been a true joy to coach,” Rebecca Kirkland, WCHS softball coach, said. “She has a fun and very strong competitive spirit. When she came out her freshman year, I knew she was going to be a huge asset to our program. When Lizzie sees something she wants or sets a goal, she goes for it with everything she’s got. She plays that way, too.”
Shubert, the daughter of Chanda and Jimbo Shubert, was named Most Athletic among the 2017 WCHS senior superlatives. She lettered four years each in softball and soccer and three years in basketball, serving as captain on some of those teams. As a goalkeeper for the Lady Gators soccer team, she helped lead the team to a state playoff berth this past season with 146 saves during the regular season.
“Lizzie is athletic and moves really well in the box,” Michael Cook, WCHS soccer coach, said. “Her game experience combined with her athletic ability made her really tough to score on. Her sophomore year we played Northgate in the first round of the state playoffs, and she seemed to be able to anticipate where every attacking player was going to shoot and aim. She had over 40 saves in that game. Lizzie takes pride in keeping the ball out of the back of the net.”
Speed of the game is a factor not lost on Shubert, who equates soccer’s pace to that of basketball.
“Everything in soccer is so fast and so intense; in basketball you don’t stop,” Shubert said, adding a favorite hoops memory. “We were playing the first round of the state playoffs and down by 1 point. There were two seconds left, and my teammate, Matea Boyd, did a reverse layup, and we beat Woodlawn.”
On the court, Shubert earned the Impact Award for her contributions coming off the bench.
She was also named the scholar-athlete for girls basketball in recognition of having the highest GPA on the team. Scholastically, Shubert is equally outstanding.
“High character qualities, immeasurable work ethic, and academics have paved the way for Lizzie’s athletic success,” Mandy Lingenfelter, WCHS girls basketball coach, said. “She is not afraid of hard work.”
Honor graduate Shubert ranked 27th in a senior class numbering 347. A member of both Beta Club and the National Honor Society, she carried a 3.8 GPA throughout high school. She also scored 1380 on the SAT. Her workload included five AP classes, and her final high school semester included three college classes. She named Wesley Sweat, an AP history instructor, as being among her favorite instructors, but she derives satisfaction from several academic areas.
“Math and science – I just can’t pick between those two,” Shubert said. “Those are my favorites because I like a challenge and they are both challenging. I was going to maybe major in biology. I think I want to be a nurse practitioner for pediatrics and work at Wolfson or St. Jude. I just like the fact that they are very kind and helpful.”
Unsurprisingly, Shubert’s choice for Beta Club community service included philanthropic works for people and pets. Last year during Hurricane Matthew, she assisted evacuees with their pets by walking their dogs and performing other kindnesses. While she demonstrates compassion off the field, she exudes pure passion when stepping onto the softball diamond.
“Hitting is my favorite part of the game,” Shubert said. “I like being in those situations where your hit wins the games. I think those moments build character and strength as an athlete.”
Such a moment occurred during Shubert’s junior campaign of 2016 versus Jones County in Round 1 of the state playoffs after a crushing defeat in Game 1 of the series. Thanks to Shubert, the Lady Gators rebounded in Game 2, forcing the “if” game due to Shubert’s homer for the go-ahead runs en route to a 5-3 decision.
“Watch Lizzie play and you can tell she loves it and that she is having fun,” Kirkland said. “I would have to say I saw a huge change in her this year. As a coach, you expect your seniors to step up to the job of leadership within the team. She did that job this year and did it well. Lizzie kept the positivity going through the ups and downs this season. She will be missed, but I have a feeling we will see great things from her in the future.”
Four years a starter at shortstop for the Lady Gators, Shubert was the Region 2-AAAAA player of the year in 2017 and earned All-State (second team) accolades. She batted .361 during her senior campaign with six homers and a team best of 23 runs batted in. Her hits total also included 17 doubles and two triples. Additionally, she logged an on-base percentage of .430 and a slugging percentage of .720. Shubert, though, is quick to share credit for her success.
“Thanks to my weight training coaches at the high school: coach Sonny Spurlock and coach Franklin Stephens,” Shubert said. “Weight training definitely made me stronger. And it helped me grow into a better athlete. I definitely hit the ball a lot harder this year.”
When not competing on the pitch, the hardwood, or the diamond for the Lady Gators, Shubert competes on the diamond for the Savannah-based Angels 18-U “Gold” travel softball team. She also attends Central Baptist Church with her family. Her brother Logan, who plays football and baseball, is a rising freshman at WCHS. Shubert listed her friendship with soccer teammate Destiny Johnson as being among her most enduring connections.
When asked how she would like to be remembered, Shubert offered this take: “I feel like I’m my own person and set goals for myself. Everything I do, I give 100 percent; I give my all. But I try to help everyone as much as I can. I try to help them learn, help them grow.”
Southeast/Player Spotlight/May 2017
Lizzie Shubert
Ware County High School
Waycross, Georgia
Story by John DuPont
Photography by Jennifer Carter Johnson
A League of Her Own
