Pioneer Athlete Spotlight on Courtney Ward, CVCHS swimmer
Name: Courtney Ward
School: Clayton Valley Charter High School
Grade: Senior
Sport: Swimming
Senior swimmer Ward’s love of the sport is reflected in her hard work, commitment and dedication. She has been a member of the CVCHS varsity swim team since her freshman year specializing in breaststroke and individual medley. She’s also been on the Ygnacio Wood Seahorses each summer since she was eight-years-old.
On her summer rec team Ward was overall Most Improved Swimmer three years in a row in addition to earning many team sportsmanship awards over the years. She notes that her favorite parts about being an athlete include experiencing a team’s community, meeting new people through sports and staying active.
While she’s not in the pool, Ward maintains a 4.0 GPA and participates as an active member of both yearbook and Senior Women at Clayton Valley Charter. Additionally, she enjoys being involved with her church community and volunteering her time to help at church events.
Ward plans to attend Baylor University in Waco, Texas starting this fall to major in business with an emphasis on marketing. She looks forward to continuing her swimming career by joining the Baylor club swim team.
Ward is thankful her sister Amanda has always been very encouraging and supportive of her swimming journey. She is also grateful to her swim coaches through the years, especially high school coach Adrian Lohse. Ward notes that playing a sport during high school is an amazing way to meet new people, as she has made some of her closest friends through the Ugly Eagles swim team.
CVCHS student journalist Katherine Pugh wrote this Spotlight.
The Pioneer congratulates Courtney 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
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.