Bonita Vista High’s (BVH) varsity girls’ soccer player and senior Jada Gibson had begun her soccer journey at the age of five after being introduced to a variety of different sports. Her passion and love for the sport maintained even to this day, and will continue beyond this year.

On April 14, Bonita Vista High (BVH) J. Gibson received an email stating that she was awarded with the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Athlete of the Year.

“I fell in love with soccer and told them [my parents] I wanted to stick with it,” Gibson said.

J. Gibson’s mother, Natalie Gibson recognizes a huge part of receiving this award was due to the close people who helped develop her into the person she is today. 

“Our family believes that it takes a village to raise a child. This award is also for ‘Jada’s village’ of teachers, coaches, personal trainers and last but not least, her family,” N. Gibson said. “They were developing her to accomplish greater heights year after year and supported her physically, mentally and emotionally through each step of her journey.”

J. Gibson’s soccer teammate, friend and senior Mirayah Villalpando describes the positive impact J. Gibson has on the soccer team and her life. Villalpando also elaborates on the leadership role and energy J. Gibson brought to the team.

“She has pushed me to my limits on and off the field and is always a great source to go to during times of defeat. Jada always knows the right thing to say and is willing to go to great lengths to make not only me but others around her better,” Villalpando said. “Her words of encouragement have gotten me through some of the toughest days of my life.”

For many individuals, being a student-athlete can be a difficult balance. Trying to sustain desired grades as well as competing at a high level can be challenging. N. Gibson sees the Athlete of the Year as a beneficial opportunity for J. Gibson.

“Hard work, dedication and sacrifice that was necessary to excel academically and athletically. There were times that she [J. Gibson] was physically exhausted after practice but had to mentally reboot herself in order to complete homework or study for a test,” N. Gibson said.

Despite the sacrifices necessary, athlete of the year defines the student athlete who shines through it all. Villalpando explains how the girls’ soccer team worked and ultimately thrived together with each other.

“Our highschool team dynamic was very strong this year. We were able to have very open and tight relationships with one another which reflected on the field. We all knew our roles on the field and encouraged one another constantly,” Vallalpando said.

J. Gibson describes her positive feelings about this achievement and is generally something she cherishes. She emphasizes that the award is a once in a lifetime opportunity that adds value for the sport that she loves.

“I feel amazing about being Athlete of the Year, it just adds to accomplishments I can be extremely proud of. You only get to live high school sports once, so getting this award for playing the sport I love is great,” J. Gibson said.

J. Gibson’s achievements and excellence flourished after competing at her soccer games for years, which allowed her to get college offers from multiple schools. After looking at her options and talking to her family, J. Gibson decided to accept her offer from the University of Georgia.

“I am appreciative of being named the athlete of the year and I am super excited to continue this sport at the D1 level at The University of Georgia,” J. Gibson said.

J. Gibson emphasizes the value of being a good leader for a team and supporting every single player. She describes that staying consistent on the field and continuously fighting hard every game is something that helped her achieve Athlete of the Year.

“Being a good athlete is equally as important as being a good person,” Gibson said. “You have to find both–being a beast on the field while also being a good person off the field.”