2010-2011 MSA Sports Female Athlete of the Year – Shatori Walker-Kimbrough

By: Bruce Markey
Saturday, July 9, 2011 | 12:00 AM

Ask Hopewell High School's Shatori Walker-Kimbrough what she likes to do away from sports and she will tell you eat ice cream.  Although Walker-Kimbrough said her favorite flavor is strawberry with sprinkles on top she said she likes all kinds. Her ice-cream tastes imitate her fondness for athletics . When it comes to sports Walker-Kimbrough likes variety  and she is a standout in all kinds.

Walker-Kimbrough has been selected the MSA Sports Girl Athlete of the Year. The MSA Sports staff picks the athlete of the year from all WPIAL and Pittsburgh City League teams.

Walker-Kimbrough is only a sophomore at Hopewell but her athletic talents have matured quickly. She was an all-section player in volleyball the second-leading scorer in WPIAL girls basketball and a WPIAL track and field champion.

"I don't really have a favorite sport Walker-Kimbrough said. I think basketball might end up being my favorite but I don't really have one right now."

This is a 16-year-old girl who counts high school football among her favorite sports. She also played some softball when she was younger.

"I was a pretty good first baseman she said with a laugh.

Walker-Kimbrough is so talented in three different sports, she can't get away from this question: What is your favorite?

I get it all the time. A lot Walker-Kimbrough said with a laugh. If I haven't seen a person in a while that's always the first question they ask."

But her best sport – at least in terms of the future – appears to be basketball. Walker-Kimbrough already has been offered basketball scholarships by Duquesne Pitt Robert Morris and Dayton. More offers could be on the way after this summer.

This past season Walker-Kimbrough averaged 21.1 points 7.1 rebounds 2.4 assists and 2.6 steals. She was a first-team selection on the MSA Sports All Netters team (top players in the WPIAL). She also was selected to the Post-Gazette Fabulous Five and was all-state. She has more than 1 000 points heading into her junior year.

Walker-Kimbrough uses her size and jumping ability to do damage on the inside but she also can play guard for the Vikings.

Her athletic ability "jumps" out at you because her outstanding leaping ability is key in all three sports. In volleyball she helped Hopewell to the WPIAL playoffs. But volleyball wasn't always easy for Walker-Kimbrough to play.

"In eighth grade I was absolutely horrible at volleyball she said. I didn't even start and didn't even really play much on the eighth-grade team. I was going to quit volleyball my freshman year. But I said I might as well just keep playing and I ended up being pretty good."

In track and field Walker-Kimbrough won the WPIAL Class AA championship in the long jump and finished third in the triple jump.

"Probably winning the long jump was my most memorable moment this year Walker-Kimbrough said. I didn't expect to win it. The triple jump was my favorite event. I didn't expect to do that well in the long jump."

With so much success already in three different sports one has to wonder what in the world Walker-Kimbrough can do for an encore next season. But she insists there are greater heights to reach.

"I want to try and get basketball player of the year in the state Walker-Kimbrough said. And I want to try and win both gold medals in the long and triple at WPIALs and place in the states."

Tags: Hopewell