'One of the best'

When Kourtney Shirley was younger she played for snow cones.

But now, as an 18-year-old senior and leader of the Winslow Lady Bulldogs, her eyes light up at basketball.

And the snow cones are bigger: a state championship and named girls player of the year at the 3A North Region tournament Feb. 12.

"After every game I always wanted a snow cone," she said. "That was my motivation."

Much like her younger brother who plays on the boys' varsity, Kourtney started playing when she was just a pup.

"A lot of it had to do with our family," she said. "All of our family was really big on basketball.

Shirley said her competitiveness and desire emerged in junior high.

"My coach, Mike Begaii, really pushed me to be the best I could," she said. "I never got that challenge from anyone before."

She made the varsity as a freshman and also earned a starting spot. She helped lead the team to the 3A state championship her sophomore year.

Winslow head coach Don Petranovich said she has come a long way.

"When she came in she was very solid as far as being a player was concerned," he said. "She developed into a good solid team player. She shoots the ball very well and overall I would say she's one of the best that I've coached."

Kourtney said this year she has learned the most about the ups and downs of leading a team with so much expected of them.

"As a leader the biggest thing was to try and not get mad, try to keep your composure," she said. "The biggest thing I learned this year was just encourage my team no matter how we play, just play. Hustle after every ball and dive after every ball."

Her mother, Jackie Shirley, said Kourtney takes great pride in her leadership ability.

"I think she's matured in the way that she recognizes things on the court," Jackie said. "Getting her teammates to gain confidence to believe in themselves."

It was that leadership that 3A North coaches saw and led them to vote for her as the player of the year.

Kourtney said she was excited about the award but it's only a smart part of her accomplishments.

 "I was very thankful and happy to get it but at the same time I don't want to base how I play on the awards I get," she said. "You should just play because you love to play. The greatest part of getting that award was it made my mom proud of me."

But basketball is still the biggest thing.

"When I'm on the court I don't think about anything else that's happening in my life," she said. "I think about what's there right in front of me. It's like a really good passion. It's hard to explain but I just love to play."

Kourtney said her focus often makes others mistake her for being unfriendly.

Off the court, Shirley is a true student. She is ranked No. 1 in her senior class along with five other students and maintains a 4.0 GPA.

"She's a very good student. Very solid academically and she works hard," Petranovich said.

To Jackie Shirley, her daughter will always be driven and competitive like she was as a youngster.

"She just has a big heart," she said. "She's learned to discipline herself in all different aspects. She's got goals, she's an achiever, she's just good overall."

Kourtney thanks Begaii for giving her a jumpstart in basketball and Petranovich for his belief in her. She said Petranovich added a year before he retired because she wanted him to be her coach for her last year at Winslow.

College is on her mind - preferably outside Arizona - and she hopes to continue playing basketball. She also wants to attend a culinary arts school.

When she gets where she's going she can only hope that a snow cone will be waiting for her.

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