Pioneer Athlete Spotlight on Laine Moraes
Name: Laine Moraes
School: Clayton Valley Charter High School
Grade: Senior
Sport: Soccer
Moraes began playing soccer for Diablo FC at the age of four and has never stopped, including four years as part of the Clayton Valley Charter soccer program. She played JV as a freshman and has been a goalkeeper for the last three years on varsity.
Moraes was chosen team captain the past two years, as well as captain of her club team for several years. She has been with Walnut Creek Surf Soccer Club the past three years. During her club career goalkeeper Moraes has been selected for Olympic Development Program State player pool, ODP West Region camp, ODP West Region player pool and team roster, and Surf Select National Team for 2020-21 season.
As a sophomore her Ugly Eagles team lost only four of 22 games and qualified for the North Coast Section playoffs. After missing out on the opportunity make the playoffs in the pandemic abbreviated season her junior year Moraes and her CVCHS teammates have a goal this season to win the league championship and get back to NCS.
Passion for the sport
Moraes’ soccer career has been driven by her passion for the sport and her determination to constantly improve. She reflects on how her teammates and the connections she’s made with people within the sport have impacted her life. Moraes’ experiences with different sports growing up contributed to the development of her athleticism, her ability to be part of a team and her love of sports in general.
As a child, she swam for the Oakhurst Orcas, played CYO basketball, lacrosse for the Warriors program, tennis for Oakhurst Country Club and softball at Clayton Valley Little League. Moraes has also been successful in her academics with a current weighted GPA of 4.26 (an unweighted 4.0).
She has been a member of CVCHS Public Service Academy for four years and received the 2020 Clayton Valley Charter Public Service Academy department award. Moraes is an avid participant of the Associated Student Body as the sophomore student representative, junior class treasurer/secretary and is now ASB treasurer. She is a member of National Honor Society and Senior Women.
Moraes volunteers to teach young goalkeepers for her club. Her college plans include attending Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego and she recently signed her NCAA letter of intent to play for the Sea Lions soccer team. Moraes is grateful for all of her coaches, teammates, friends and family for their support in her journey. She is especially thankful to her late competitive soccer coach Chris Turner, who she credits as the first coach to believe in her and inspire her love of the sport.
CVCHS student journalist Katherine Pugh wrote this Spotlight.
The Pioneer congratulates Laine and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for over three decades at Family Vision Care Optometry. laceyandruzicka.com
Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@pioneerpublishers.com.
Katherine Pugh
Katherine Pugh is a junior at Clayton Valley Charter High School. She enjoys running on the CVCHS cross country team in the fall in addition to the track and field team in the spring. Pugh also swims recreationally for Oakhurst Country Club in the summer. She is a part of the CVCHS Engineering & Design academy and finished her sophomore year with a 4.33 GPA. She’s also excited to be a representative for CVCHS’s ASB leadership group during her junior year. In addition, Pugh works as a hostess at Ed’s Mudville Grill in Clayton. She is very excited to be writing the Student Athlete Spotlight for the Concord Clayton Pioneer.