On paper, Shiriah McRoberts and her 5-foot frame may not seem imposing to the opposition.

Trouble is, there isn’t a roster in the world that tracks the metrics related to a student-athlete’s grit, heart and drive.

If there were, McRoberts would be one of the most imposing figures on the local high school basketball scene – even more than her 11.6 points and 3.7 steals per game show her capabilities.

Wright City coach Dustin Elledge praised his senior for everything she does for the team and the program.

“I know she may not exactly have the size,” Elledge said. “But she definitely has the focus and the mentality to succeed. You can just see her will to win is there. The great thing is that she works hard (to get everyone involved). It’s just that there are times when other girls are just looking for her to get open.”

Even though McRoberts happily does what she can to help the Wildcats (3-10) succeed when she has the ball, she wants to leave the program in better shape than she found it nearly four years ago.

‘Teach a man (or woman) to fish,’ as has been said.

After all, some of the girls she plays with on this year’s team are the younger siblings of players who helped show her the way during her freshman and sophomore years.

She’s all about paying things forward, McRoberts said.

“I was a freshman when I first started playing on varsity and I got so much help from the older girls on the team,” McRoberts said. “That’s what I want to do for the younger girls on this team. I want them to be able to know that they can work hard and keep getting better so that they can (pay it forward) to the younger girls when they get older.”

Wright City junior guard Ada Ferrell said that McRoberts has served as an inspiration to the type of player she strives to be.

Even in the worst of times, McRoberts' blueprint of keeping things light is one Ferrell plans to maintain in the future.

“We’re a close team, a family, and it’s been important to make sure everyone is having fun, no matter how things are going,” Ferrell said. “It’s important that we’re out there getting the chance to laugh during practices, and (it isn’t just work). Bus rides are a lot of fun and it feels great to be around this team. I consider them all family.”

While McRoberts does possess a great sense of humor, Elledge said that it’s as if she flips a switch and almost becomes an entirely different person when the ball goes into the air for the opening tip at a game.

“She’s a great kid, great to be around,” Elledge said. “She’s funny and she likes to joke around. When it comes to being on the court, though, she takes it very seriously. It’s been great to have her as a leader.”

McRobert said that with roughly one-half of her final high school season left, she’s not only going to enjoy the ride, but work to help those younger than her get ready to take their place in the program’s future.

Sure, it would be cool to add to her scoring average and better the career-high mark of 20 points in a game, which she set and then equaled during her junior year.

But there are other important things she wants to see checked off her mental list before the season ends.

“I have a bunch of cool memories,” McRoberts said. “I was the fourth-leading scorer on a varsity team as a freshman. I want to help others get a cool feeling like that. I want to do my part to help the younger girls before I go.”