SAN BERNARDINO – On the volleyball court or off, Aquinas senior Eliana "Tia" Chavira has a ready smile, whether it is celebrating a big kill or laughing it up with teammates.
But there is another side of the 16-year-old, 5-foot-11 volleyball phenom, one that is more private and more apt to reveal the sadness inside her.
She has had her somber moments, to be sure, since her beloved father Eddie Chavira died in August at age 61 following a heart attack.
Chavira has not forgotten though. She has written on her game shoes "RIP dad" and "I love you, Alligator" – the latter a reference to the salutation father and daughter used when they parted company. She gets misty-eyed at the memory.
Mission accomplished on the last count as Chavira averages 4.4 kills, 4.1 digs and 3.6 assists per set and has 39 service aces.
Her brilliance had Aquinas (16-5 overall, 8-3 league) sitting in third place in the Ambassador League heading into this week's play. It has also landed her a full-ride scholarship to Long Beach State, the alma mater of her favorite player, beach volleyball star Misty May-Treanor.
Chavira was offered a scholarship over the phone on Valentine's Day and then celebrated by eating chicken at Cane's in San Bernardino. She was also offered scholarships by UC Riverside, Villanova and Fresno State.
Tall and with the leaping ability to touch a 10-foot-high basketball rim, Chavira has the physical gifts to be a star. Her mom was a high school volleyball star in Hawaii who also played at Arizona Western Junior College and Cal State San Bernardino — the latter back in 1989 when the school had three buildings and the gymnasium was brand new.
Puni Chavira had her daughter playing with the high-powered Rancho Valley club team by the time she was 7 years old.
The family formerly lived near Aquinas but has since moved to Colton. Chavira knew of the Aquinas program because of her friend, Maddie Taylor, who used to play for the Falcons. But she figured as she got older she would probably play at Cajon or Redlands East Valley High but things fell into place for her to attend Aquinas.
Family is important to Chavira, who is of Samoan and Mexican descent. She has six older brothers including one, Ezra (20), who still lives at home. She is close to her Samoan mom who grew up in Hawaii and delights in making her daughter's favorite dishes which include taro root with coconut milk and a Samoan version of chopped suey.
Between the lines on the volleyball court, it is the competition Chavira usually gobbles up.