Shantel Crichlow, a senior at Chapin High School and one of the high school’s most intense players on the basketball court, always has a big smile on her face on or off the court.
      On Friday (27 March 2009), the two-time all-District 1-4A guard’s smile was just a bit brighter has she held pen in hand and inked her signature as she signed her letter of intent and accepted an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.
      Seated next to her was her father, Master Sergeant (MSG) Fernando Crichlow. MSG Crichlow an Air Defense Artillery (ADA) senior noncommissioned officer, assigned to the Office, Chief of ADA (OCADA), US Army ADA School at Fort Bliss, Texas, was beaming with paternal pride over his daughters accomplishments. Although Shantel is an exceptional basketball player, Crichlow knows that his daughter is smart, competent and focused and will make an excellent officer.
      Equally proud, and in attendance was her mother, LaChanne Crichlow, who inherited the roles of both mother and father during her husband’s many deployments to Saudi Arabia, beginning with Operation Desert Storm. "I'm just glad everyone here was able to support Shantel," LaChanne said to a big crowd at the Chapin High School library.
      "Even though I'm not used to the whole soldier thing, I decided on West Point because, in the long run, I think I will benefit from it more, “ Shantel said. “I am sure I'll adapt – being raised in a military environment, I’m used to adapting."
      The Crichlows will be nearby to guide Shantel along the way. Upon his departure from Fort Bliss, MSG Crichlow’s follow-on assignment will be as a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) instructor at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. "My goal was for Shantel to play basketball in college, but this has far exceeded that goal." he said.
      In the crowd of onlookers were Shantel’s coach along with several of her friends and teammates, many of whom expressed sadness at the impending loss of their teammate. The consensus was that they would certainly miss Number 11.
      "When Shantel first entered high school, she was all legs and arms and all smile," Chapin girls basketball coach Marlee Webb said. "She has set a great example for the program and for future players."
     Webb and Crichlow sat down last year and mapped out what it would take for Shantel to play college ball, both academically and on the court. Shantel attained each and every milestone. On the court, she averaged 9.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.0 assists per game. "She is the epitome of hard work and teamwork," Webb said.