'Pretty cool' said Hall after being named the country's top high school para track athlete
Several weeks ago, USA Track and Field sent out a survey to several athletes asking whether they'd like to be considered for All-American honors.
The email popped into Violet Hall's inbox. The Bloomington South senior figured she was one of hundreds, maybe thousands, to get the query, especially after finding out a couple of friends she'd made while competing in Para track meets over the summer received them as well.
Basically spam, she thought. But, she filled it out, sent it back and forgot all about it.
A couple of days ago, the USATF responded. Hall's friend sent his Para High School All-American certificate, which listed his events. Hall got one too, but hers was different.
"It said, 'Female Athlete of the Year," Hall said. "I said, 'Wait, why is mine different?' I sent it to him, and he said, "Read it. It literally says I won Track Athlete of the Year.' I didn't know. I was confused and then it hit me.
"I sent a screen shot to my parents. Pretty cool."
I am truly grateful and honored to be selected for the USATF Para High School All-American Team and to receive the Female Track Athlete of the Year award. Thank you for this incredible recognition and support!@usatf@USParaTF@JimGordillo@BHSS_Athleticspic.twitter.com/stFEPC3MBL
— Violet Hall (@violethall2026) December 15, 2025
'An experience building thing'
Pretty cool indeed for Hall, who was one of two high schoolers invited to represent Team USA in track at the Para World Games in New Delhi, India in September.
She qualified in the 100 and 200 dashes in the T47 category. She was fifth in the 200, lowering her PR to 25.50 in the semifinals, and was eighth in the 100 in 12.62.
The trip was a memorable one, though she and her father, who accompanied her, saw more of the inside of her hotel than any tourist traps. Hall spent much of her downtime between her four races, catching up on homework and applying to college.
"Stuff I would have been doing at home," said Hall, who also hit up the hotel pool a few times, the average high that time of year in the mid-90s and lows in the 70s.
Team USA did set up a few trips as a group, but mostly it was a business trip, taking care to eat food prepared for the team to make sure no one got sick.
For her, the experience was everything as a first-time Para World Champ participant. She tried not to put any pressure on herself as a first-timer, just happy to be there and trying to do her best. If she got a medal, great. If not, it was huge just to be there.
"For me, it was more just an experience-building thing," Hall said. "Running against people who have competed in Para circuits and worlds and Paralympics multiple times for 5-10 years.
"So being young an able to get to that point, I have so much more to prove, so much more to do for myself. I hope I can make a big difference and continue to grow."
She has certainly increased her circle of friends in the sport.
"Probably just meeting everyone and competing at that level," Hall said of the best thing about her trip. "Going into it, I had been watching those people race and I was on the line with them. It all happened so fast."
Hall's first Para races took place early in the summer after the IHSAA state track meet ended. Three months later, she was in a massive stadium in India representing her country in a pro-like atmosphere.
"The call room air felt a lot heavier," Hall said. "Not just because of the pressure, but it was also hot. They had fans going and I was sitting right next to one.
"Everyone was in their own bubble. Almost no one was talking. All you could hear was the fans."
And after the developments of the past few months, she might be playing for a different set of fans at the college level than what she had envisioned a year ago. Basketball was her main sport and it's still important as South has it's sights set high this season. But track seems more likely in the future.
"It's definitely been a big change, a big shift, from basketball," Hall said. "Going into my junior year, I wouldn't have expected everything to have happened to happen.
"I'm just extremely grateful for the opportunities I've been provided, and grateful God led me through it. I'm just very happy to get to where I am today and excited to continue."
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: South para-athlete Violet Hall earns top award from USATF
Category: General Sports
