Courtesy of Norfolk State Athletic Communications


The abrupt end to the remainder of the 2020 NCAA spring sports season around the country has hit especially hard for senior student-athletes, many of whom had plans of celebrating senior days, competing one last time for conference championships, and graduating.
 
Over the coming weeks and months, NSU Athletics is highlighting a number of these student-athletes who have been integral members of their sports programs, on and off the fields of competition.
 
Shelby DesChamps was in her fifth season on the softball team thanks to a redshirt year following an injury earlier in her career. She was a Tirst Team All-MEAC performer last year who was looking to live up to the expectations of being named this year's Preseason Player of the Year.
 
The Virginia Beach, Va., native has bounced back from more than one devastating injury during her time at NSU and already has career plans in place once she graduates. But before then, she will look to cap her athletic career with one more go-around.
 
Read more on DesChamps and her journey below:
 
Q: This is now your fifth year here at Norfolk State. Describe how this experience here has been, outside of softball.
A: The experience here has been great. The campus is small, which I really enjoy because I typically see the same people around all the time. The individuals that I have class with have made it seem like a family. It has been an all-around great experience being at Norfolk State, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
 
Q: What do you enjoy most about playing softball here?
A; What I have enjoyed the most is seeing the culture progressively change over the years. The program has grown so much. With the program growing, I have also been able to grow not only as a player, but as a person as well. I have learned so much about myself to help me be a better me.
 
I also enjoy being able to play next to my best friends, Jade (Dixon) and Tuli (Iosefa). NSU softball gave me two best friends I can always count on, on and off the field. I am just really thankful that I have been able to play the sport I love at the Division I level.
 
Q: Your career has not always gone smoothly, as you've had to deal with injuries that cost you parts of a pair of seasons (hence the redshirt). What have you learned about yourself in dealing with those setbacks?
A: What I have learned from overcoming two ACL tears is that you can tell yourself you can do whatever you want. Whether you tell yourself you can or you cannot, you are right either way. Going through these two injuries was more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge. I would not take any of this back, because going through them made me who I am today.
 
Q: Describe the moment you found out your season would be cancelled? When and where were you, and what were the emotions like from a team perspective when it happened?
A: It was the day that we played UMES, before the game. Coach Jim told us that our season may be cancelled, so for that game I can truly say I was playing as if it was my last game. Fast forward to after the game, that is when it actually came out that our season was officially cancelled. I spent probably at least half the bus ride crying all the way back to NSU.
 
The moment that stuck out to me during this time is when we were at a half Taco Bell, half KFC for dinner. I was crying almost the whole time we were there, and my teammates were comforting me and trying to cheer me up. I could not thank them enough for that, because it really meant a lot.
 
As far as emotions and perspective from the team, it was kind of weird. It was very quiet on the bus, you could just tell something was not right. On the way back, we eventually were singing and joking around. But then it turned to sad songs and people showing sad emotions. When it was time for us to all get in our cars and head back home, it was like most of us didn't want to say good bye. It was all just so unexpected.
 
Q: Do you feel like in any way your experience dealing with those aforementioned injuries helped prepare you for that moment the season was cancelled? How so?
A; I don't think it prepared me as it was all of a sudden, and who would have thought the season would have ended that way. I don't think anybody would have been prepared for that moment, as it was out of nowhere. I really did not have a chance for a complete season, no MEACs and no senior day. The memories that could have been made within practically half a season were just gone. It was a lot to take in, and even though I tried to play like that game was probably my last, it's just not the same.
 
Q: Recently the NCAA announced that senior spring sport student-athletes can come back for another year. How excited are you to be able to finish out your career for what would be your sixth season?
A: I am very excited as this was my extra year, due to my injury. I cannot wait to return for a sixth year to be with my teammates and finish out my last year the proper way. I never would have thought that I would be playing for practically six years in college, but I would not want it any other way. I am grateful for another chance to finish out my final year.
 
Q: This year you were named the Preseason MEAC Player of the Year. How were you able to overcome that pressure and expectation and just be you?
A: It was a lot to take in at first, because it was always brought up after the fact when I received the pre-season award. I understood that it was based off of last year and still had to prove myself this year as well. I just had to zone back in and be myself.
 
Q: Away from softball, what would you like to do as a career post-grad and why?
A: After I graduate with my master's next year, I will be working for the Department of Social Services somewhere in the state of Virginia, hopefully within foster care. I found an interest in working in foster care this year with my internship.
 
Q: What have you been doing to prepare yourself for that career, either an internship or something else?
A: In the master's program, you have to have an internship both years. So this year, I was at Embrace Treatment Foster Care for my internship. It was a great experience, and I hope to eventually work within foster care after graduation. I still have to have an internship next year, as I will be finishing my master's in social work, but where I will be at is unknown right now.