Shelby Estocado has been an athlete all her life. As a standout softball player at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, and then at Tulsa University in Oklahoma. Estocado went on to play for Team USA as a member of the National Baseball Women’s Team in 2016.
“I grew up playing tons of sports, super athletic, very competitive. I grew up playing baseball with the boys; I played lacrosse, I did cross country, I played basketball, I played whatever sport that was out there.” – She says in the new video highlighting her journey through trauma and recovery, produced by the High Fives Foundation.
On February 23, 2020, however, she suffered an accident while snowboarding at Lee Canyon near Las Vegas. After losing control on a jump and landing on her back, Estocado broke her sternum and T-6 vertebrae resulting in a serious spinal cord injury and paralyzing her from the chest down.
Though the way Estocado participates in sports has changed, her drive, athleticism, and competitive nature have not. After a long road to recovery, with various levels of rehabilitation and lots of hard work, she now has her sights set on the Paralympic games with hopes to compete in skiing and basketball.
Although not surprised, we are incredibly impressed with Shelby. Just over a year ago she found herself in the lowest point of her life. Everything changes with a spinal cord injury and Shelby made a decision right away that her top-tier athletic career was far from over. Instead, it had just taken an unexpected turn. She is continuing to pursue athletic excellence and we have no doubt that just like the success she had able-bodied, she will have massive success in a chair. In such a short period of time, Shelby went from the lowest point in her life and bounced right back up to the top.
High Fives Foundation is proud to call Shelby Estocado a High Fives Athlete and has since helped fund her living and rehabilitation expenses, and ability center hand controls to aid with driving.
Estocado’s story is inspiring for anyone, but it’s her infectious attitude to look at the good in her new adaptive life that helps others reach their own goals with their recoveries. With the help of her friends, family, and the High Fives community, she is able to return to the sports she loves.
Stay tuned as we continue to stay up to date with Shelby and her road to athletic excellence.
Visit Shelby Estocado’s Athlete page on High Fives Foundation’s website for more information: https://highfivesfoundation.org/athlete/shelby-estocado/
