Pioneer Athlete Spotlight on Brianna Taliva’a of Clayton Valley Charter
Name: Brianna Taliva’a
Grade: Senior
School: Clayton Valley Charter High School
Sport: Soccer
A passionate and experienced player on the Clayton Valley Charter girls soccer team, Taliva’a has used positivity to overcome many challenges in her life. Even from a young age, she shared her father’s passion for soccer, playing rec soccer for three years and eventually moving up to Diablo FC club soccerhttps://www.diablovalleyfc.com/ at age eight.
She currently plays on a Walnut Creek Surf team in addition to her varsity spot at CVCHS. Her club experiences have taken Taliva’a to many camps and elite tournaments such as the “Best of the Best” Surf Select soccer team.
She became the first freshman girl in four years to join the Ugly Eagles varsity team. However, this momentum was halted after tragedy struck on and off the field. Her father unfortunately passed away at the beginning of her freshman year. With her mother’s help she continued. Later that same year, she tore her ACL, which put her out for her entire sophomore season.
Making a comeback
As a junior Taliva’a was healed and coach Aaron Pomeroy said about her comeback, “She worked hard, always asked questions to get smarter and become a more rounded player. Brianna was a leader on and off the field for her team.”
That season she was named team captain. She now wears her father’s high school number 44 on her jersey to commemorate him.
In school, Taliva’a is a hardworking student with a 4.0 GPA and is a member of the Senior Women and Polynesian clubs. She is currently receiving interest from college coaches, as well as from the LITA modeling agency. She hopes to follow these pursuits either on a soccer team in college or as a model, all while studying to become an anesthetist.
CVCHS student journalist Corinne Jeandheur wrote this Spotlight.
The Pioneer congratulates Brianna 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.
Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or a great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@pioneerpublishers.com
Corinne Jeandheur
Corinne Jeandheur is a senior at Clayton Valley Charter High School. She runs on the CVCHS cross country team in the fall as well as competing on the track and field team in the spring. She also plays the piano and bakes in her free time. Jeandheur is a member of the CVCHS Engineering and Design Academy and concluded her sophomore year with a 4.33 GPA. She is serving as co-president of the California Scholarship Federation at Clayton Valley Charter this school year and continuing her academic and community involvement in the National Honor Society. She is very pleased to be writing the monthly Athlete Spotlight for the Pioneer.