West Boca Raton’s Star Safety: Loia Valade

Loia Valade is a 3 Star recruit who plays Safety at West Boca Raton High School. Valade is ranked as the 503rd best recruit in the nation and is ranked as a top 50 Safety in the nation as well. In addition, Valade is listed as a top 50 recruit in the state of Florida and is listed as a top 10 Safety in the state of Florida. He is committed to play at Texas A&M.

Who are some role models in your life?
My role models are Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, my mom, and Jesus Christ.

What artists do you listen to pregame to get you hyped up?
Pregame, I listen to a lot of calming sounds like rain or music that relaxes me. Something that clears my mind.

What are the strengths of your game?
A strength of my game is that, since I am new to my position, I only get better. I am already a good athlete, so I learn every game and improve every day. I also have a good mindset and a next-play mentality.

What is your favorite memory of your career?
My favorite memory is scoring my first touchdown in a freshman game.

What is some advice you would give to an aspiring D1 athlete?
The advice I would give is to always keep pushing. If you want it, you can make it. In my opinion, it’s only a question of who wants it more, and always follow God.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
If I could travel anywhere, I would probably want to experience Paris.

How old were you when you fell in love with the game?
I was 13 when I started playing football.

If you could meet one sports hero, who would it be?
I would like to meet Steph Curry or Tom Brady.

What is your favorite sports moment as a fan?
I enjoyed watching the Rams win their Super Bowl against the Bengals a couple years ago. I started playing football because of players like Odell and Jalen Ramsey, so seeing them win was definitely a good feeling, and I feel like they deserved it.