BUTLER TWP — Soft-spoken Shana Hoy stopped Butler girls track coach John Williams a few days before last year's Baldwin Invitational with a request.

She wanted Williams to write her mom, Theresa, a letter saying she was going to compete in the 3,200-meter relay at the invite.

Her mom didn't believe she made it when Shana told her.

Williams was happy to provide some proof.

“I wrote a letter that said 'Mrs. Hoy, your daughter has qualified for the Baldwin Invitational and if you have any questions give me a call,'” Williams said.

The shy sophomore has developed into a key contributor for a Butler team making its first WPIAL Class AAA team playoff appearance since 2011.

Hoy turned heads at home because her middle school career wasn't as pristine.

She never competed in the Butler Middle School Invitational and had a harsh assessment of her own performance.

“(Her mom) was surprised, because I (stunk) in seventh and eighth grade,” said Hoy, who didn't care about the sport in middle school. “All of a sudden in ninth grade, I was good.”

Shana's dad, Marvin, said he and Theresa were happy to get the note.

They had kept their kids busy with a variety of sports to keep them out of trouble. Their son, Lamont, is a junior runner for the Golden Tornado.

“We were pretty shocked,” Marvin Hoy said. “We didn't believe she had made it. After that, we praised her and told her good job.”

Track has helped Shana Hoy come out of her shell a little bit at school.

When she started with the track program, Williams hardly heard a peep out of her.

“She was pretty doggone quiet,” Williams said. “We had to pry some words out of her.”

Having success led to a more energetic Hoy.

The 1,600 relay team she's apart of — along with Odile Enslen, Maddie Tonini and Emily Horstman — have a personal best of 4 minutes, 12 seconds which is the second-fastest in Butler County.

Hoy's personal best in the 400 (1:02.42) is a hundredth behind Horstman for best on the team.

Teammates noticed a difference from the first meet this season.

“She was so funny and it really seemed like she had too much sugar and was hyper,” said Enslen, who is a sophomore. “It was so funny seeing her yell for the team and tell us what to do and stuff. You never saw that side of Shana before.”

Shana Hoy got into track because she enjoyed it during an all-sports sixth grade track meet Butler hosts every year.

She enjoyed the challenge of trying to beat her friends.

“I wanted to get faster,” Hoy said.

Once Hoy started to speed up, she began to talk more.

“I don't remember her in middle school at all because she was so shy,” Enslen said. “In ninth grade, all you would hear is Shana talking. I'm like 'Whoa. Who is this girl that is talking so loud?' In the 4x400, you'll see her gun it and sprint as fast as you possible can.”

Building up that speed showed what a determined bunch the Hoys are.

When Williams runs summer camps from 6:15 a.m. to 7:45 in the summer, he was surprised when he got there the Hoys had beaten him there.

They walked from their parents house, which is two miles from the school.

“It takes about 30 to 40 minutes,” said Lamont, who runs in the 200 and 400 in addition to relays. “We get there early because we want to practice stretch and because it's a long walk. We don't want to be late.”

Shana Hoy said once she got to ninth grade she wanted to work harder and get faster. The strength and conditioning exercises helped put her in the right direction.

“The high knees,” Hoy said about what she enjoyed. “You have to make sure you're doing them, but go fast.”

Shana Hoy may never be a yell leader, but Williams is impressed with her progress.

She's continued to push her teammates along. When assistant coach Mike Seybert works with the middle distance kids, Williams said Hoy's always pushing the pace.

Trying to get faster.

“She does bust her butt out there,” Williams said. “We have some real leaders on this team. She puts her nose right up there with those kids come work out time.”