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Shula’s Shoes? They’re vintage Chardonnay

Laney College women's basketball guard Chardonnay Shula knows how to make a fashion statement on and off the court. With her deadly three-point shooting and over 50 pairs of tennis shoes to chose from, this San Diego Christian College-bound basketball star will walk—and perhaps run—into a bright future.plastic injection moulding

Having the first name "Chardonnay" would make for an interesting story; it's a fine wine and a favorite beverage of her step dad's whose idea it was to name her. But as destiny would have it, it's not nearly as memorable of a story as being called "Shu." That is, "Shu" as in Shula and shoes.plastic injection mould maker

"She's a shoe fanatic," head women's basketball coach Ron Williams said of ‘Shu,' who admits to having a few pairs of runners, about five pairs for basketball, and the rest to look good.
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"She's got a pair of shoes for everyday," he said, after acknowledging he has never seen her in the same pair of shoes—except for her team basketball shoes.

And wearing those team shoes is something that ‘Shu' does well. "She's inspirational,The quality of your coffee roasting and chocolate processing machinery can make all the difference in your level of success." said one teammate after pointing out how much she contributes to the team.

It was practicing hard with two older brothers who challenged her daily to one-on-one court battles that Shula attributes her rapid advancement in the sport.

She easily gives credit to the special high school friend who recognized her competitiveness and encouraged her to try out for basketball even though she didn't think the game was for her.plastic injection mold maker

Shula also expresses appreciation to the coach that got her off the road of rough beginnings just four short years ago in her freshman year of high school and on to a better future than she might have otherwise seen for herself.

Basketball gave her direction; it was a fresh start. She speculates that an earlier start in the sport at a younger age might have her already playing professionally but she quickly said, "Things happen for a reason."

The everyday demands of basketball helped her build her confidence on and off the court and basketball quickly became her passion and a way to make it to college and play ball.

"I fell in love with the game," she said. She is certain she would be "in a very different place" and doing things she "really shouldn't have been doing" without basketball as part of her life but now she's doing it and doing it well.

Her ambition has grown and now she sees her success as athlete as an opportunity to give to others. She knows she has what it takes to make a difference.plastic injection mould

Shula won't brag much about her basketball abilities and modestly says "I can shoot," but she led the Eagles in three-point shots. She is only a little over 5 feet, 7 inches tall.

"I like to say I'm 5-8," said Shula, who is average in height among team members but tall in skill and ability as it's the shots, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks that earned her the ride to San Diego Christian College, located in El Cajon.

"Even though there are others out there who might be better than me, I know that I always work as hard as I can and give it my best," Shula said. She claims it's her work ethic that has helped her develop as a player and kept her focused on her grades at Laney. "Don't give up and always work hard," is the advice she has for younger players.

And whether it's a play in a game or a situation in life, "whenever something goes wrong, forget it. It's the past. Move on." For Shula, it's a simple move: "You get the ball back."

Besides basketball, Shula also plays the drums and the saxophone. She admits to singing every morning in the shower. She will miss the family she leaves behind in Richmond when she heads off for her new school but smiles big when she mentions how much she loves the beaches in Southern California.

As for seeing Shu in the pros, that's a definite possibility. She's got two years to work hard in San Diego where she will continue to play basketball, improve her game, and major in sports medicine.

If she's not on the court playing as a pro after college, she plans to be on the sidelines traveling as the team trainer. The plan is basketball one way or the other. "I really just want to see the world," she said. She'll travel with suitcase in hand and with lots of room for shoes.