Pioneer Athlete Spotlight on Marina Miller, Carondelet High
Name: Marina Miller
School: Carondelet High School
Grade: Senior
Sports: Volleyball and Beach Volleyball
Marina Miller began playing club volleyball at the age of 12 and has continued to participate in both volleyball and beach volleyball during her four years at Carondelet. She has kept up with her training away from the school with the Xceleration Volleyball Club in Martinez and hopes to continue playing the sport next year at a Division III college. A two-year varsity starter at outside hitter, Miller recently completed her final volleyball season when the No. 5 seed Cougars lost a back and forth five-set quarterfinal match to fourth seed Campolindo in the Division II North Coast Section playoffs.
As a sophomore she was the Carondelet JV team’s MVP while leading her squad in kills, hitting percentage and blocks. Her high school sports career isn’t over as she’ll be on the Cougar varsity beach volleyball team this spring before graduation.
The senior says, “Being a part of the Carondelet volleyball program has been the biggest blessing and one that I will be forever grateful for. My coaches Jerry Mix and Kelly Ruff have played a huge role in who I am today. They are always there to support me and the team and I know they are always looking out for us, on and off the volleyball court. Volleyball has been such a big part of my life and has taught me the importance of teamwork and being able to trust those around you. It has helped me focus on what I can do better in order for the team to succeed.”
Coach Mix, says, “Marina has been a great asset to our program. She has incredible work ethic which sets a great example for her teammates. She has always been determined to win and strives to be the best player and teammate she can be.”
The Pleasant Hill resident wants to pursue a degree in exercise science in college, hoping to be a physical therapist. She will be starting a sports medicine internship soon, allowing her to shadow school athletic trainers supporting one of Carondelet’s spring sports teams. Miller has maintained a 4.0 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. Outside of school and sports, she has spent time with her family volunteering at Shelter, Inc. in Martinez, cooking meals for women and their children who are escaping abusive domestic situations or drug abuse.
The Pioneer congratulates Marina 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.