Due to the current coronavirus situation and all sports being shut down, there are a lot of athletes who have had their senior seasons cut short. ENC Sports Review thought it would be nice to highlight some of these seniors as a small way to celebrate their senior year, since so much has been taken from them already. Today, we will highlight Nash Central High School Senior Cana Shrock. We thank Cana for taking the time to sit down with ENC Sports Review and answer these questions for us. We had fun learning more about her and we hope you will too!
How long have you been playing sports?
I’ve been playing sports as long as I can remember. I know I started T-ball at around age 4. By the time, I was 6 years old, I refused to hit off of the tee, so my parents put me in Girls softball in Nashville. I was the youngest and couldn’t pay attention well, so I started catching. After that year, I started playing baseball in Rocky Mount. I played Pee-Wee and Midget league. I had the honor of playing All-Stars with the boys. I have a lot of great memories.
What teams have you been on? (This can be rec ball, middle school and high school.)
I started playing rec ball. I played on a boy’s travel baseball team for a short time before I made the move to softball. I started playing Fastpitch travel when I was about ten. I played with the Clipper’s out of Johnston County for several years. I started playing for the Carolina Cardinals East when I was 12, I still play with this team. We’ve played all over NC and even in Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida and Kentucky. The team and their families are all like my family. In middle school I played volleyball, basketball, and softball. I continued this into High School, where I picked up indoor and outdoor track. This past summer I played in the Powerade State Games where my team won the whole thing. I also played in the inaugural American Legion Softball League for Post 11 out of Goldsboro.
Who has been your favorite coach? What did he or she teach you that you carry with you today?
My favorite coach ever is TJ Smothers. He has been my Cardinal’s coach for many years. He taught not me not to only succeed in softball, but how to be a good person. He has high expectations for all of his players and he pushes us, I think he especially pushed me. He will tell me quickly when I am missing, but in a way that I respond to. He has become more like a second dad to me. I reach out to him when I have decisions to make, like with college or furthering my softball career. I know he has my best interests at heart. I definitely would not be anywhere near where I am today without him. He is hands down one of the best people I know and it is an honor to play for him. (Love You Todd, Be Good) He ends every text, phone call, conversation with us with Be Good!
What is your favorite memory and least favorite memory of playing sports?
In 2017 my travel team played in a Top Recruit tournament called the Music City National Classic. We were playing in an elimination game. If we lost we were done and heading back to NC. We were losing by 7 in the last inning. The other team was celebrating and all but planning their next game. We had girls getting upset and falling apart. Our parents started getting behind us and cheering and chanting like crazy. We got a couple hits and had a couple girls on. Then another big hit and we scored 3 or four runs. All of a sudden the other side got real quiet and the Cardinal side was going crazy. Somehow we pulled it together and in the bottom of the last inning, we won. We went on to fight our way through 7 more games to become the tournament champions.
What is one thing that if you could do over again you would change?
This is a tough question. I can’t think of anything that I would change or do over. I don’t have any regrets. I’ve always played hard. I also know that every win and loss has shaped me as an athlete and as a person. You have to take them both. I think having success and failures shapes you into a person that can get through challenges. I think sports have done that for me. So, I’m thankful for all of it.
Who is someone you look up to and why?
I’ve said many times that my brother Noah has been my role model and I’ve always looked up to him. Recently, I have had another person make an impact on my life. Shelby Godwin is part of my family now, she is Noah’s girlfriend. She is also an athlete. She played softball through high school and college. For the last couple of years she’s given me advice on and off the field. She has become one of my best friends and admired people. I can’t imagine not having her in my life. Her experience playing softball has given her the ability to guide me through this time in my life. I go to her for everything. She has worked very hard, she still does. I aspire to be like her in every way.
If you could go back 5 years and tell yourself something then that you know now, what would it be?
I would tell myself to not stress and to enjoy it all. I think about all of the trips I made with the Cardinals. Playing in the tournaments were always our vacations too. We would play ball hard and find a way to make it fun and try new things, adventures. I don’t think during that time I realized that all of those times were shaping me. Those trips were becoming the memories of some of my favorite times. I would tell myself to slow down, soak every minute of it up, not to forget a single second.
What is something you would tell someone trying to follow in your footsteps?
If you are going to play a sport and commit to it, be ready to make some sacrifices. During my years, I had to miss things that my friends were doing. Often, I had to make a decision to go play ball or join my friends with what they were doing. It wasn’t easy, they were times I’d cry about making the decisions. My mom would always tell me that I had to make the choice on my own. We would talk about the importance of both things. There were times that I would take a break or miss a weekend, but not often. Also, go to the practices! You are going to regret not working as hard as you should. So if it is tempting to just skip one, don’t! You need to be there, you will be glad you did.
If you have played your last high school game, what is something that you will remember for the rest of your life?
I would say, we weren’t a very experienced team. We definitely lost more games than we won. I had to play out of position every season. I’m not a pitcher, never had a lesson. I had to pitch a lot of games. It’s tough to take the mound against some good hitters when you know you’re not trained to pitch. I think I actually struck a few out along the way. I do have a good memory of finally winning against one of our most rival teams during my sophomore year.
Feel free to add anything else that people would like to know about your time playing sports or your future plans.
My time playing sports has really made me who I am. I’ve learned alot from every court and field I’ve played on. Looking back, I have the best memories of a childhood playing sports. I can’t imagine not having played all of these years. I miss it when I’m not playing. Right now, when I pass a softball field, all I can think about is I can’t wait to step back out there. My plans are to go to the University of Mount Olive to play softball. I’ve always dreamed of playing ball in college. All of my years of hard work have paid off. I’m looking forward to the hard work, dedication, and challenges playing ball at the collegiate level will bring. I’ve been training all of my life.
Thank you again, Cana Shrock, for taking the time to be one of our 2020 senior spotlights. We wish you well on all of your future endeavors.
Attention 2020 Seniors: If you are interested in possibly being our next spotlight, please inbox us with a picture of you (head shot or action shot, or multiple pictures), your name, school, sports/positions played and answers to some or all of the questions above.
Note: All photographs have been contributed to this post from the senior’s family.
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