Showcase Q&A: South Shelby’s Roush discusses law enforcement, taking up golf and attending JWCC
The fourth annual Muddy River Showcase takes place June 21 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The girls game will tip at 2 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 4 p.m. General admission is $10.
SHELBINA, Mo. — Belle Roush and Callie McWilliams will get one more chance to play basketball together before they go their separate ways for college.
Both centerpieces of South Shelby Lady Birds teams for the past four years and teammates long before that, Roush will play basketball at John Wood Community College, while McWilliams will continue her track and field career at State Fair Community College, but both will suit up for the Missouri girls team in the Muddy River Showcase.
“I’m super excited,” Roush said of playing with McWilliams one more time. “I’m definitely looking forward to it.”
Roush and McWilliams have played basketball together since elementary school, and Roush said their skills complement each other well.
“We have a good connection on the floor,” Roush said. “Her speed obviously is a big thing, and my ability in high school to work in the paint a lot, whether that’s getting her screens or something like that, she would do a quick pull-up or hit me on the roll. We just work really well together.”
Roush discussed her love of the outdoors, a career in law enforcement and more with Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey in this Showcase Q&A.
Q: What are you looking forward to most about playing in the Muddy River Showcase?
A: I’m just excited to play basketball again. With the season being over, things kind of slowed down, but I’m just ready to play basketball, and I get to play with Callie again, so that will be fun. Playing with some opponents that I had will be nice, too.
Q: You’re going to get a taste of playing at John Wood’s gym before playing there in college. What’s that going to be like?
A: I’m super excited for my college career there. I think it will be nice to play there with high schoolers — well, I guess we’re graduated — before I go on to my actual college team.
Q: What drew you to John Wood?
A: It’s local, but it’s still a little bit away. I like the place, and it was Ali (Schwagmeyer-Belger) and Courtney (Belger) before they moved over to Quincy University, but I am excited for the new coach. I’ve talked with her, and I think we’ll have a great season.
Q: West Hancock’s DeeDee Church is going to be playing at John Wood, so you’ll have a future teammate on the other side. What’s that going to be like?
A: It’s a fun first way to meet them and play a solid game of basketball.
Q: Are you going into law enforcement?
A: I was planning on that, but after talking with some people in that field, I’ve changed my mind. I still plan on going into that field after college, but they told me to go ahead and get a degree in something else to fall back on.
Q: What is that going to be?
A: I’m just going to take accounting because that’s always good to have. I’ll get an associate’s in that, then if I do go on to a four-year college, I’m thinking about wildlife conservation.
Q: What made you want to pursue that?
A: I like being outdoors — fishing, hunting, really just being outside. There were some older people from my school that majored in that, and I’ve talked to them. If I ever get tired of the criminal justice field and I wanted to fall back on something, I think something with wildlife would be up my alley.
Q: So, would you want to be a conservationist or a ranger or something like that?
A: Yeah, something like that.
Q: What’s your favorite animal to hunt, and what’s your favorite kind of fish to fish for?
A: I like turkey hunting. I got my first turkey this season. It takes a lot of patience. You can’t overcall them, so you’ve got to have some knowledge there. With fishing, bass is always fun, but catfish is also super exciting.
Q: What’s the goal with the law enforcement side?
A: A cop. I might start off in a small town or go into an accelerated program for a couple years and be a trooper.
Q: Do you have any family members who are in law enforcement?
A: Not that I know of. I’m really good friends with Keith Brown at the Shelbina Police Department. I do ride-alongs, and I talk with him all the time.
Q: What has he taught you?
A: He’s just told me to keep my record clean, and everything will be good. He really wants me to come back and work for him here.
Q: What are those ride-alongs like?
A: The night shifts are a little more fun. We sit along like Highway 36, and when you catch someone speeding or something, you go flying after them, or we’ll go into stores and see if they sell beverages that only 21-year-olds and up are supposed to have.
Q: What kind of cop do you think you’d be? Like what would your personality as a cop be?
A: I’m not sure, I’ve just always liked watching true crime shows, and it just fascinates me and makes my brain tick and think. I just want to do good for the community. Being in law enforcement really gets you connected to a community wherever you go. You talk to people a lot I think it will help my communication skills, as well, because there’s definitely lots of communicating in that field.
Q: So, you play golf, is that right?
A: Yeah, I did for one year.
Q: Had you played a lot before the school got a team last year?
A: I hadn’t like ever swung a golf club or anything before, but I was like, ‘Senior year, might as well just try it and have some fun.’ I really did.”
Q: How much better are you now compared to this time last year?
A: I have not been out golfing lately, but during the season, I definitely got a lot better than when I first picked up clubs, and I know the game better now, like I understand what certain things mean.
Q: What was the learning curve like at the beginning?
A: I missed the golf camp — I’m not sure where I was — so I was behind a little bit. It wasn’t too bad to learn because I don’t play softball, so a lot of people have problems with having some of their softball swing, but I didn’t have that problem. Everybody kind of has their own golf swing that works for them.
Q: Do you know the lowest round you’ve ever shot?
A: I have no idea what my lowest is or anything.
Q: Do you want to keep playing? Is it something you’ll keep as a hobby for a while?
A: I like to go out every now and then to golf. It’s not a favorite thing to do, but it’s nice sometimes to just go out and hit a couple.
Q: Not like fishing or hunting probably, then?
A: Nope. Every day after school I would just come out and grab a fishing pole.
Q: When did you start fishing?
A: I don’t even know when I started. As little as you can be, I guess.
Q: What about hunting?
A: My second grade year, I went to summer school, and it was the year we got $100 if you went all the days, so I went and bought my first .22 with that money to squirrel hunt.
Q: Was that an eye-opening moment? Like, “Wow I have real money.” Almost like you’re a mini adult?
A: Yeah, I felt so grown up and hunting with my dad. You get into middle school, and you get your hunter’s ed permit, and you start hunting by yourself. It’s just really exciting.
Q: So, your dad was big into getting you involved in hunting?
A: Yeah, my dad loves hunting and fishing. I’ve learned a lot from him. I’m hoping during college that I’ll be able to come back home a couple of the days when season starts and hunt with him.
Q: That’s the good part about being relatively close at college, isn’t it?
A: Right, yes. And my coach also hunts deer and stuff, so she definitely understands.
Q: Do you have a favorite restaurant in Quincy that you’re looking forward to having a little bit more? Or something you’re looking forward to trying?
A: I’m kind of a picky eater, but it’s hard to beat Texas Roadhouse. I like my steaks.
Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals you do before every game?
A: I used to have to wear ankle braces all the time, and this sounds super disgusting, but I got them freshman year, and I would never wash them. Then my senior year, I stopped wearing them. I pray before every game. My team at South Shelby, we all did that together, so that’s a tradition we have there that was really nice.
Q: What was your favorite class in high school?
A: If we’re talking about core classes, I would definitely say math. I like numbers.
Q: Did you have a favorite teacher?
A: Mr. Mitchell — I think he’ll be leaving soon — Mr. Hillard, Ms. Elliott, but she’s going to a different school. There’s a whole bunch of good teachers there.
Q: What’s your favorite dessert?
A: I like peach cobbler with some ice cream.
Q: Is there something someone might not know about you after having a 5-minute conversation with you?
A: When I first meet people, I don’t crack jokes right off the bat, but once you get to me, I’m a pretty good jokester.
Check out more of the Muddy River Showcase Q&As at the links below:
Payson Seymour’s Blake Schwartz
South Shelby’s Callie McWilliams
West Hancock’s Lewis Siegfried
Quincy Notre Dame’s Alex Dance
Central-Southeastern’s Lauren Miller
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