Athlete Spotlight

Daniel

Messer

School: Clayton Valley Charter

Grade: Senior

Sports: Cross Country, Track

Messer runs into his senior year at Clayton Valley Charter with records to break and medals to win as he crosses the finish line at upcoming cross country meets this fall and track races next spring. His coach Kevin White reflects on coaching Messer, “Daniel is a tenacious trainer and a true student of distance running. . .he doesn’t dwell too long on bad workouts or races, rather he turns that outcome into a motivator the next time he runs. He always believes he can do better and has shown complete trust in the training programs.” Brought up playing soccer, Messer gained an understanding of teamwork and dedication to a sport. This foundation helped build an impressive high school running career. Before heading into his senior seasons, he spent the previous three years at CVCHS on varsity cross country and track and field teams. During this time, he has attained several achievements, including qualifying for the 2022 CIF State Cross Country Championships and winning the Boys D2 varsity race at the Mt. SAC Invitational last year. He was first team all-Diablo Athletic League last year in both sports and also all-DAL as a sophomore in cross country. When questioned about his high school

Valley Charter. Mt. Diablo (Div. 4)8/25 Deer Valley, 9/1 Mission-San Francisco, 9/8 at Oakland Tech, 9/15 San Lorenzo, 9/22 at CastlemontOakland, 10/6 Ygnacio Valley, 10/13 at Alhambra, 10/21 Berean Christian, 10/28 at College Park, 11/4 Concord.

Northgate (Div. 3) -

8/25 at Reno, 9/1 TamalpaisMill Valley, 9/8 Twelve Bridges-Lincoln, 9/22 at Miramonte, 9/29 at Las Lomas, 10/6 at Acalanes, 10/13 Campolindo, 10/20 at College Park, 10/27 Alhambra, 11/3 Benicia.

Ygnacio Valley (Div. 6) athletic experience, Messer remarked, “My favorite part about being an athlete is the competitiveness. We have a lot of great competition in our league and section.” In addition to his running, Messer has maintained a 4.1 cumulative GPA throughout his high school years. As he looks to his future and an upcoming college decision, Messer hopes to find a great running program to continue the sport into his next four years.

– 8/26 Alameda, 9/1 at Lower Lake, 9/9 Kennedy-Richmond, 9/15 Washington-San Francisco, 9/23 at Galileo-San Francisco, 9/29 at Pinole Valley, 10/6 at Mt. Diablo, 10/13 Concord, 10/20 at Alhambra, 10/27 Berean Christian.

CVCHS student journalist Corinne Jeandheur wrote this Spotlight.

The Pioneer congratulates Daniel 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.