Rutherford's Shannon Hyland- Scholar Athlete of the Week - WMBB News 13 - The Panhandle's News Leader

There are many athletes who put their athletic dreams on hold because life as a student athlete can be a little tough. But for Rutherford soccer stand-out Shannon Hyland, being busy only motivates her to be better. Shannon's senior soccer season at Rutherford didn't go exactly as planned. The Lady Rams lost every game, tying one, but she refuses to look at the negative.

"We really stuck together, and we really came together as a team. It was a lot of fun for my senior year. It was fun to be a part of the team all four years."

Within those four years was a lot of fun times, including a District Championship in her Sophomore year, and a runner-up finish last season. But she's not just winning for Rutherford, as she's a star for Bay United as well. So with all that soccer, when does she have time to study?

"I do play year round. In the fall, and then in high school, and then in the spring from travel, and usually some recreational teams as well. I found that playing soccer has really helped me with my studies, because it helps me organize my time more."

And organize her time she has- as Shannon's managed to make straight A's in Rutherford's IB program, boasting a near 4.7 GPA.

"Being a captain for two years for Rutherford it really put me in the leadership role, and I tried to lead the team as best as possible. I really feel like it's my teammates who've helped me, because they've pushed me at every practice, and I really have them to thank for getting me where I am today."

And last week, Shannon had a lot of thanks to give, as she signed a scholarship to attend Florida Institute of Technology, where she'll continue her soccer career.

"It was really exciting, I'm really thankful for everyone who came out and supported me. I'm really excited to be able to continue doing something that I love. Being able to do that really lets me know that I can follow my dreams."

And for things not going exactly how she planned at the beginning of her Senior year, it looks like everything's shaping up pretty nice, at the end. Shannon says she wants to study Bio-Medical Engineering at Florida Tech, and go on to pursue a medical degree.