Some athletes choose to play forward because they think it's the easiest position. Shelby Hall chose it because it's the hardest.

And she has mastered the challenge. Explosive and competitive, Hall has netted 24 goals and recorded 12 assists for the Yellowjackets. Off the field, the Hamburg, NY native has tackled molecular genetics with focus and diligence. For her exemplary skill in juggling athletics and academics, Hall has been selected to receive the 2012 Lysle “Spike” Garnish Award.

As a freshman in high school, Hall played midfield on the junior varsity field hockey squad. Even then, her keenness shone — her coach had to constantly remind her to get back and play defense.

“I love being by the goal and making plays happen,” Hall says. “As a forward, you get to see the field in front of you and play off your fellow forwards to help carry the ball up the field. All forwards enjoy scoring goals, but I also enjoy knowing that I was an important part of a goal being scored — whether it is passing the ball or having an assist.”

This unselfishness is just one of the features that defines the close-knit team that Hall calls her family. And it explains the squad's success — last season, the 'Jackets, who spent part of the 2011 summer in Barbados on a training trip, won 13 of 19 games; the year before, they snagged the Division III National Academic Team Award, and Hall's freshman season, UR went 11-7.

“I think my greatest successes with field hockey are ones that I share with my team,” says Hall, who superstitiously braids her hair before every game. “Coming back from a four-goal deficit to beat an opponent, winning a game in overtime, setting season records for our school… these things show the tenacity and heart our team has.” 

Hall's tenacity and heart, too, speak for themselves. Each week, she divides her time with three goals in mind: involvement in the community, achievement in the classroom and excellence on the field.

She stops nowhere on her way to them.

Take her leadership experience, for one. Hall is the secretary of the Varsity Student Athlete Advisory Committee, a biochemistry teaching assistant and a member of UR Uganda, a group that aims to bring healthcare and other opportunities to the 26,000 people of Lugala, Uganda.

Take academics, for another. Hall earned Liberty League All-Academic honors and was named to the National Academic Squad of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.

Over the summer, she worked at the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio, researching vaccines and immunity, and this semester, she is performing experiments on naked mole rats to determine if they have the same genetic makeup as cancerous cells. Hall has also interned in the fields of microbiology, pharmacy and chemistry, and she plans to become a physician's assistant.

Above all, Hall's assorted experiences over the past few years have transformed her way of thinking and learning.

 “Rochester has pushed me outside my comfort zone and forced me to look at things from a different perspective, which has been invaluable to me as a student and person,” she says. “The diversity at Rochester has been a fruitful experience — I have made so many friends and met so many people that have had a wide array of experiences and backgrounds. I really enjoy hearing about people's stories, and it has opened my eyes to all that the world has to offer.”

Not only do Hall's peers inspire her, but she also motivates herself — she knows that all experiences are learning ones, and she knows that honest persistence is immeasurable.

“I've learned that progress and improvement occurs when nobody is watching,” Hall  says. “You become a better player when you are putting in the extra time outside of scheduled practices, and you become a better student for all the work you put in outside of the classroom — the power of one's own potential is really motivating. People have accomplished so much in life, and all it takes is one person with a dream. I think the power of self is a great motivator.”