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Living the Life on the Field and Off the Field

Char Joslin

Char Joslin, standout midfielder of the Harvard field hockey team.

Char Joslin, stellar defender of the Harvard women's ice hockey team.

Char Joslin, star forward of the Harvard women's lacrosse team.

Surely there must be three different persons at Harvard with that name, but the ubiquitous Char Joslin fills all those roles and many more.

The first person to be named firstteam All-Ivy in three different sports in the same year (1987-88), Joslin is also on track to becoming the first person in Harvard history to win 12--that's right, 12--varsity letters.

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"She is just an amazing athlete," women's ice hockey Tri-Captain Brita Lind says. "The biggest thing that sets Char apart is that she almost has a sixth sense, an ability to read and understand the game. It's this sense that allows her to use her athletic ability to its fullest potential."

"You can get her to do anything, and she does it well," field hockey Co-Captain Denise Katsias says.

This innate athletic sense was evident at an early age. Joslin recalls her older brother Scott playing a key role in her development.

"When I was three, [he] would dress me up in his equipment, stick me in front of a box and shoot pucks at me," Joslin says.

Were their parents aware of this cruel exploitation?

"He'd give me a penny for every save I made," Joslin says. "I was getting really rich."

Such early training has more than paid off for Joslin during her varsity career as well.

"She is the best defender in women's hockey," Coach John Dooley says. "She has perhaps the best lateral skating ability of any woman hockey player I've ever seen. She is the Bobby Orr of women's hockey."

In addition to her incredible physical skills, the Dedham native possesses an extraordinary ability to devote full attention to her activities.

"She has incredible concentration at whatever she's doing," women's lacrosse Co-Captain Lisi Bailliere says. "She has amazing poise under pressure, and she always keeps her cool."

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