The best word to describe Amanda Chambers, a member of the UAlbany cross country and track & field teams, is perseverance.

Between injuries, illness and the COVID-19 pandemic, Chambers’ college career has been stop and go. But this past season was the first time Chambers felt healthy.

There were times when Chambers, a 2017 Colonie High School graduate, felt frustrated by all of the off-course issues. But Chambers kept working hard to get back on track, and she persevered.

That is one of the reasons Chambers, a graduate student, is one of three collegiate recipients of the Capital District Sports Woman of the Year Award.

“I would say perseverance is probably a pretty good word to use,” Chambers said. “I mean, I always knew what I was capable of. I was inspired by other athletes that you know, because I’ve been in the athletic community a while.

“Some previous teammates of mine, I’ve watched endure some hardships, and it inspired me when I was going through those hard times to not give up and I persevered through learning what they went through.”

Chambers’ injury woes began during her senior year at Colonie. She lost her track season that year with an injury that took a while to figure out what it was. She ended up having ankle surgery to reattach a tendon. That was an 18-month recovery.

“We didn’t know what it was,” Chambers said. “I went through several months of being misdiagnosed, and not being able to be diagnosed by doctors. I ended up getting diagnosed with my peroneal tendon on my right ankle was torn off the bone, and that was from me rolling my ankle so much during cross country because of the uneven grounds.”

She started competing for UAlbany in the 2019 cross country season. And then in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and it canceled the spring track season and moved the cross country season from the fall of 2020 to the spring of 2021.

Things didn’t get much better in 2022 for Chambers. She was diagnosed with a severe iron deficiency. She was treated with infusions for four weeks.

It was a frustrating time for Chambers.

“I was so close to being done,” Chambers said. “I was like, I’m getting no reward on this and I put so much work in. But something inside of me kept telling me to not give up. And I’m glad I didn’t.”

Chambers set personal best in track this past season. She was the UAlbany Women’s Breakthrough Athlete Award winner. Chambers earned America East Outdoor All-Conference in the 5,000 meters.

Off the track, Chambers is a four-year member of UAlbany’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee [SAAC], a volunteer for Mental Health Games for the athletic community, the event coordinator for Friends of Jaclyn, a volunteer with Hudson-Mohawk Road Runners Club, was a food bank volunteer in high school, had an internship with special education students and was part of the holiday card program at St. Peter’s Nursing Home during COVID.

“[Community service] very important,” Chambers said. “My main source has been SAAC. i really love it because they really focus on a lot of the mental health aspects that I think are really important, especially in the athletic community.”

She succeeded in so many things during her high school career.

There’s a natural talent that’s needed to do that, but also a curiosity and willingness to take on new challenges.

Amelia Canetto, a senior at Taconic Hills, combined all that throughout her high school career, which saw her star athletically, achieve academically and make her mark within her community.

“I put a lot of time and effort into athletics, but I also tried to balance my time in the classroom and outside of school,” said Canetto, who will attend Coastal Carolina University next school year.

The evidence supports that Canetto did more than try to maintain balance in her life. She succeeded, and that success was rewarded with being named as one of 10 high school honorees for the inaugural Capital District Sports Women of the Year awards, which also see three college athletes recognized.

Athletically, Canetto set school records on the track and led her school’s field hockey team. In the classroom, Canetto was a high honor roll student who challenged herself with difficult classes and academic opportunities outside of school. Within her community, she spent hours volunteering at a library, food pantry and more, plus worked as a camp counselor.

Everywhere Canetto went, according to Taconic Hills athletic director Angela Webster — who taught Canetto in math and coached her in field hockey — she made a positive impact.

“The first thing that comes to mind when I think about Amelia is that she is a workhorse,” Webster wrote in a CDSWOY letter of recommendation for Canetto. “She works hard, wants to improve and holds high expectations for herself.”

During her seasons competing for Taconic Hills, the 17-year-old Canetto set program records as a solo sprinter and in relays and competed at the state championships. Meanwhile, Canetto first started playing field hockey as a freshman, but finished her career as a high-scoring star. After earning her program’s Most Improved Player award as a junior after scoring 24 goals, she was named the team’s Most Valuable Player after scoring 21 goals.

At Coastal Carolina, Canetto will compete in track and field.

“As her coach, I have had the opportunity to witness an exceptional work ethic and competitive spirit,” Taconic Hills track and field coach Paula Voight-Jause wrote in a CDSWOY letter of recommendation for Canetto. “Amelia always seeks help with all aspects of her performance and works tirelessly during the season to improve. She spends extra time preparing for each competition, seeks out other team members to encourage, and leads by example.”

Canetto, a member of the National Honor Society, will study marine biology in college, a field she’s always been thrilled to learn as much about as possible. That stems from spending time on Cape Cod with her family. 

“I’ve always just had this love and fascination for the ocean,” Canetto said. “I’d read all these books and learned when I was older that there is still so much that we don’t know about the ocean.”

As part of a course through the University at Albany, Canetto did a research project and paper on the migration habits of sharks. Last summer, she participated in a program in the British Virgin Islands that saw her earn her scuba certification and help conduct research about a local turtle population.

Her dedication and enthusiasm fueled Canetto’s success during her high school career.

“Amelia is a remarkable young lady that will be missed in our classrooms and athletic fields next year,” Webster wrote. “She is driven to be a success.”

This article appeared in the 2020 CDSWOY Awards Program on August 18, 2020.