Pioneer Athlete Spotlight on Dana Giacomino, College Park High
Name: Dana Giacomino
School: College Park High School
Grade: Senior
Sports: Flag Football, Wrestling and Softball
Giacomino started playing softball when she was seven years-old in Pleasant Hill Baseball Association and went on to club softball with the Pleasant Hill Panthers and NorCal Easton Preps. The active young athlete played basketball, soccer and gymnastics but softball became her passion. That is through her sophomore year at College Park. That’s when softball teammate Myia Weiler told Giacomino that she had taken up wrestling and thought her younger teammate might enjoy it as well. Giacomino gave up softball and concentrated on wrestling as a junior.
Then she said, “I heard about the possibility of a flag football team at our school.” And “just because” she again took up a new sport and became a part of the school’s inaugural flag football squad this year. She even earned all-league honors as a center for the Falcons team that reached the championship game of the Diablo Athletic League tournament.
Just as Weiler did for her, Giacomino has recruited members of the flag football team to try wrestling this winter. Wrestling coach Jim Keck calls her one of his senior leaders and she is at the school every morning at 7:30 lifting weights.
Besides her sports teams she is on the publicity committee for Block CP and is senior class treasurer. Following her graduation in the spring Giacomino wants to attend a four-year college to major in biology leading to pre-med.
After leaving College Park she says the “biggest thing” of all her sports participation are the friendships she’s made with teammates in each sport “that will go on” well past her sports days. After the end of the historic first flag football season she said, “I am disappointed I won’t get the opportunity to play another year and truly will miss all of these girls, but everyone better watch out for them next year!”
The Pioneer congratulates Dana 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 great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@pioneerpublishers.com.
Jay Bedecarré
Jay Bedecarré is a long-time resident and writer in Concord and Clayton. He began his newspaper writing career while still a senior at Mt. Diablo High School and he has been part of The Pioneer since its inception in 2003. Jay also operates Bay Area Festivals, presenting events around the San Francisco Bay Area including Bay Area KidFest annually in Downtown Concord.