Senior Athlete Spotlight: Giovanna Colina

As a child, Giovanna Colina wanted to try a little bit of everything. While she loved sports and had always participated, she never found the sport she wanted to stick to until she was 11 years old and first stepped on a volleyball court. “Immediately, I fell in love and have stuck with the sport ever since,” Colina recalls.

Now a senior on the Varsity Volleyball team, Colina reflects back on the path volleyball has taken her. In fact, it led her straight to Palmer Trinity. When Colina was younger, one of her club coaches had previously played for Head Varsity Volleyball Coach William Gonzalez. “I wanted to be as good as her, so my parents contacted Coach Gonzalez for training. Coach Gonzalez basically created the athlete that I am today. He’s the reason I love the sport and the reason I am at Palmer Trinity.” Coach Gonzalez, having seen her grow both on and off the court, is impressed by her strong sense of commitment and sacrifice to continue to improve. Gonzalez also described Colina as a “leader in her club and high school team, not only for her outstanding athletic abilities, but also for her discipline and respect towards her teammates and coaches.”

When Colina first transferred to Palmer Trinity in the 8^th grade, she immediately made the Varsity Volleyball team. The team was in the midst of a rebuild, after winning four consecutive District Championships from 2015-2018 and finishing as State Runner-Up in 2015. Colina put her head down and worked, quickly becoming one of the best players on the court as an Outside Hitter, despite being one of the youngest on the team. The team’s efforts paid off with a District Championship in 2022, a feat the team hopes to accomplish and more this year. Through the years, however, it is the team bonding events, such as team sleepovers, that Colina remembers as her favorite moments, noting the intense bonds and connections those moments formed.

Colina has also been an active club volleyball player throughout her time at Palmer Trinity, traveling frequently to compete at a national level. While her training regimen was hard, both physically and mentally as it consisted of long hours of weight training, conditioning and technique work, Colina believes in the end, it was all worth it. When not practicing, Colina enjoys 3D art and baking. Colina is also an active member of Breaking Through Society, a club on campus that works with special needs students. “I enjoyed it so much because seeing the impact a little kindness has on people is an amazing feeling.”

Colina loves sushi and tries new rolls whenever she has the chance. She is also a fan of house music and names her favorite movie as Monsters Inc., wishing that she could experience an adventure with Sully and Mike. Her fun fact is that her dad used to own a farm and she used to have a pet chicken named Chichi follow her around everywhere she went. Colina is excited to apply to schools this fall to study architecture, listing Penn State and San Diego State as her favorites.

Be sure to come out and support Giovanna and the rest of the Varsity Volleyball team as they open up their season. Palmer Trinity will host Dig Pink Night on Monday, October 7^th with games at 3:00pm, 4:00pm, 5:00pm, 6:00pm, and 7:30pm.

Go Falcons!