Standout distance runner from Los Alamitos High School, Claire Rainey, officially signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her running with Cal Baptist University in Riverside on Feb. 5.
Standout distance runner from Los Alamitos High School, Claire Rainey, officially signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her running with Cal Baptist University in Riverside on Feb. 5.
Rainey said she had visited colleges from San Jose to San Diego and many in between before she made her choice.
“Cal Baptist offered me a school where I could continue my running, follow my dreams, and an education where I could focus on a business major. CBU is where I want to be,” Rainey said.
Her coach, Jeff Tribole, spoke highly of Rainey.
“Claire has set many new school track records here at Los Alamitos High School. Also, during her tenure in cross-country, she ran some of the fastest times in the nation, Tribole said. “Claire is one of the hardest working individuals I have ever been associated with and with her work ethic. I have no doubt she will succeed at the next level.”
Tribole said that Rainey gets up early on Sunday mornings and runs from her house in Los Alamitos to the Huntington Beach Pier. Other days, she will get up at 5 a.m., and squeeze in four to five extra miles before school. But her disposition off the course brings as much, if not more, to her new university.
“More importantly, Claire is a quality person that brings a positive attitude, leadership, and is a pure joy to be associated with. I am very proud of Claire,” Tribole said.
Claire said on her visit to Cal Baptist, she “fell in love” with the team, school, coaches and that made her choice easier.
Her parents, Gary and Maria Rainey, are thrilled with her choice and have supported Claire in every way possible during her high school career, according to Tribole.
“I am so impressed by her family support and the love and guidance the Raineys have given to Claire. They also have supported all the distance runners here and every school would be lucky to have families like the Raineys,” Tribole said.
Rainey is not finished with her career at Los Alamitos yet, as she will try to qualify for the indoor state track meet before starting her last season of track and field for the Griffins on March 1.