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Jania Shinholster may look tiny, standing just
five-feet tall behind a volleyball net. But, this 17-year-old junior
has ability that belies her size and with one leap demonstrates that
short people can jump. And jump high, too.
Five-foot Jania Shinholster drives for the basket
The starting outside hitter for Gulliver's Volleyball
team, Shinholster was named All-County first team in volleyball.
"This is my first year that I've been selected
for this honor," Shinholster said with a giggle. "It's
nice."
The 3.0 grade point average student has been on the
varsity team for two years, but has been playing volleyball for six
years. Ending the season with over 100 kills, Shinholster is a proven
a team leader.
"Volleyball is fun and competitive," she
said. "I like it because everyone's tall and I'm short. It's sort
of an advantage for me because I can jump. I've only felt it a little,
having to prove myself in volleyball because everyone else is so
tall."
Nevertheless, Shinholster really doesn't have to prove
herself as a serious athlete because of her size. She competes in
basketball, volleyball and softball at Gulliver, received the most
valuable player award in her freshman year in basketball and finished
with a .320 batting average last season for the softball team.
"I like playing softball the most because I think
I'm better at it," Shinholster said. "I haven't received
All-County in softball, but it's still early."
An only child, Shinholster was born
and raised in Miami and lives with her mother, Jean.
"My mother is the biggest influence in my life," Shinholster said
proudly. "She goes to all my games and supports me in everything,
whether I play good or bad. She's very strong and if you do something wrong,
she'll let you know.
"As for my father," she continued, "I never met him and it's
never really affected me because I don't think about it. There has always
been mom there."
A typical teenager, Shinholster likes to sleep, watch TV and go to the
movies with friends. Her favorite actor is Denzel Washington and she enjoys
listening to Destiny's Child. And, if you don't catch her in one of those
pasttimes, you may find her eating her favorite cereal, Frosted Flakes.
"My goals are to one day play in college and maybe even make the
Olympic team," she said.
The hardest thing for Shinholster is trying to cope with the good games
versus the bad games. Although winning isn't everything, she says she likes
to win and when she loses she usually gets angry, mostly at herself, then
later gets over it.
"Jania is a very easy-going person," said her mother. "I have
no complaints about her. She's a good child. It makes me feel real good when
she receives honors because it means that all that running around from one
game to another has paid off."
Athletic, funny and hardworking -- three characteristics that have made
Jania Shinholster into a young girl that enjoys
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