By Staff
Justin Schuver, Hartselle Enquirer
While former Danville softball standout Kristy Roberts might be busy hitting the books in college, she is also hitting the pages of national record books.
In the 2006 edition of the National High School Sports Record Book, which is published by the National Federation of State High School Associations, Roberts' name appears a total of 10 times, including three first-place records.
Roberts, who graduated from Danville in 2005 after spending five seasons on the Lady Hawks varsity softball team, is listed as first overall in the categories of most career stolen bases, most consecutive successful steal attempts and most consecutive successful steal attempts in a single season.
Her 246 total career stolen bases while at Danville place her ahead of second-place Lacey Clabaugh of Tonakawa, Okla., who had 235 in her career. Roberts' 151 consecutive successful attempts put her ahead of second-place Shelly Riker of Palmetto, Fla., who had 131. Roberts also holds the mark for consecutive successful attempts in a season, after going a perfect 76-for-76 as a sophomore at Danville in 2003.
During her career, Roberts was a four-time member of the Alabama Sportswriters All-State Class 3A team, was the player of the year in 2005 for Class 3A and finished as runner up to Tara Robertson of Baker (Class 6A) for 2005's Miss Softball honor.
Roberts made the Super All-State team (composed of players from all classifications) twice in her high school years, as a sophomore in 2003 and as a senior in 2005. In 2005, she was the only Class 3A player on the Super All-State team.
That same season, Roberts was named to the Birmingham News Super 12 team. She and Pisgah's Paige Darwin were the only Class 3A players named to the team.
Roberts' name appears seven other times in this year's national record book, in addition to her three first-place finishes.
She is second on the list of most career hits with 353, just 12 behind first-place Holly Currie of Pisgah, who joined Roberts on the 2003 Super All-State team.
Roberts is also tied for second for most triples in a season. She hit 16 triples as a junior for Danville, finishing just one behind the first-place 17 held by two different athletes.
In other records, Roberts is third on the list of career triples with 38 (first place was 48), sixth in the career runs list with 231 (first place was 279), seventh in stolen bases in a season with 76 (first place is 117) and ninth on the list of highest career batting average with 0.583 (first place is 0.695)
Her name also appears in numerous state records, which include her statistics from eighth grade as well – statistics that do not count toward the national record totals in accordance with NFSHSA rules.
On the state lists, available publically at www.ahsaasports.com/records, Roberts is listed with a career stolen base total of 306, well ahead of second-place Jenny Stevens of Jackson with 151.
Roberts also holds the highest career-batting average with a 0.584. The AHSAA puts her first in career triples with 45, second in career hits with 444, and second in hits in a season with 101.
It's not just Roberts' name that graces the record books. Her picture is included in the softball section in the 2006 record book and she also appears on the back cover of the 2006 edition and front cover of the 2005 edition.
Since graduating from Danville, Roberts has been attending Calhoun Community College studying nursing.
Several Division-I colleges, including Alabama and Auburn, expressed interest in Roberts playing softball but she elected to shelve her playing career to focus on school.
The NFSHSA is headquartered in Indianapolis.
More information on the book and the federation can be found at the web site www.nfhs.org.