For anyone who wonders what junior midfielder Jill Martz is all about, the way she plays field hockey serves as a pretty good indicator for what she stands for. Actually, just watch her in the player introductions, when she bolts from the team-created tunnel to join her fellow starters at a speed that borders on ultrasonic. Her speed is not simply an expression of her physical ability; it is more a blend of respect for her teammates, a true passion for what she does and an unabated love for life.

Just minutes into talking with Martz, you realize several things. First, that she is a talker, but one that manages to carry that personality without a hint of arrogance and with real sincerity.

Second, Martz could probably rank high on anyone's list of storytellers, as she tells every story and answers every question with a smile that suggests you're about to really enjoy what she's going to tell you. Finally, it becomes clear that she possesses a level of energy and heart that leaves you wondering how you can take a dip in whatever fountain of youth she seems to perpetually be in.

According to Martz, her positive outlook and desire to get the most out of life stems from her upbringing and being part of a family where love and fun were rules number one and two.

"I grew up on a farm with about 650 acres of land, so there were always things for me and my friends to do," Martz said. "We lived very close to both sets of my grandparents, so I was very fortunate to have family members around all the time, whether it was my brother and sister, or my parents, or my grandparents. We always had fun things to do."

The Martz family business was a pheasant farm that was started by her grandfather, Harold "Hup" Martz and was passed onto Jill's father, Mike. Between Harold and Polly Martz, and her other grandparents Don and Shirley Hopple, Martz said there was constant support and love given to all of the Martz children: her older brother Mike, Jill, and her younger sister Joy.

"My grandparents were so great; they would get so excited over anything we would do, especially our athletic events. (Hup) would come to every event of mine and I wish he could have seen me play here at Penn State. But they were so loving to all of us and our parents were the same way while we were growing up. All three of us (Mike, Jill, and Joy) are so lucky to have grown up with the family we have. We are as close as it gets."

Martz's father continues to run their farm in Dalmatia, Pa., while her mother Cindy is a teacher. Her brother Mike played baseball at Bloomsburg University, which set the Martz athletic tradition in motion, a tradition Jill upheld at Line Mountain High School, starring on both the basketball court and field hockey turf. Martz credits a great deal of her fierce competitiveness and desire to her brother, who she said always had a willing partner when it came to practicing for their sports.

"My brother and I were very competitive," Martz said with a laugh. "Whether it was baseball or wrestling, we always competed with each other. I definitely saw more than a few wrestling moves practiced on me growing up." The big grin which accompanies that statement implies that Jill probably sent a few moves back Mike's way, too.

As close as she is with her brother and parents, Jill sees her relationship with her younger sister Joy as one of the treasures in her life. What makes it unique is that Joy has what is known as Pervasive Development Disorder, a handicap which prevents her from speaking. Despite that seemingly daunting obstacle, Jill and Joy's love for each other resonates with the loudest of sounds.

"I love my sister so, so much," Martz said. "Growing up, especially in junior high, it was a little tough because at that age, you're so worried about what other people think and how they perceive things, and you tend to worry about the wrong things. Now, it's not about how we look in front of other people- she's my sister and I love her the way she is, and for who she is."

Although they can't communicate audibly back and forth, Jill says they do just fine when it comes to knowing how one person feels about the other.

"I think what I love the most is knowing and seeing how excited she gets to come to our games. She doesn't have to say anythingS she comes to every game with my parents, and I can tell how excited she gets for me," Martz said with a genuine love that would be impossible to mask even if she tried to hide it.

Despite her soft spot for her family and especially her sister, Martz makes no attempt to hide the fact that she is aggressive, and a risk-taker. A self-professed Pearl Jam/Eddie Vedder fanatic, she attacks things much the same way Vedder's lyrics ring through: straight-forward and fearing nothing.

"I definitely always expect the best from myself, and want to do things the right way," she said. "Whether it's in friendships, in field hockey, in relationships. I'll do things the right way and I'll test myself, because I think that's when you really find out about yourself."

Martz says that one of her goals is to learn the guitar, but according to her, "it will have to wait until I graduate, so I can give it some time and do it the right way."

That's the way Jill Martz does things- full speed, with passion, and done the right way. It shows every time she takes the field with her teammates, grinning from ear to ear and racing around like it's Christmas morning. The next time you get to watch the player introductions, take a moment and look for that grin- you'll find it's pretty hard to miss.