The first Tuesday of each month, we interview someone from Charlotte Latin Athletics with twenty questions to help the CLS community get to know some of our athletes, coaches, and supporters a bit better.
 
This May, meet Latin Lifer and the oldest in a family of three Hawks, Talia Hawa. You'll find her in the Strength Center most mornings, and on the softball field in the afternoons. She earned All-Conference recognition as a freshman and as a sophomore, and is part of a group of experienced juniors dedicated to restoring Latin softball to the success it had in the late 90s. Talia also plays volleyball in the fall and the viola in the orchestra, and serves on the Student Athlete Leadership Team. Read on to get to know more about Talia in this month's Tuesday 20. 
 
1. Who lives in the Hawa household?
I have two brothers, Jaden and Jonah. Jaden is a sophomore, just a year younger than me, so we have a lot of the same friends and he plays baseball so we have a lot in common and are really close. Jonah is in eighth grade and I also have a great relationship with him. My dad, Steve, coaches for Latin softball and I've always been coached by him, so we spend a lot of time together. My mom, Tammy, works so hard for us so we can have the opportunities we have, like going to this school and doing all of our sports. Then there are our dogs, Jeter and Judge. They're both labs but Jeter is big, maybe 100 pounds, and Judge is a lot smaller, maybe 55 pounds. He's like Jeter's shadow.
 
2. Were all the J names intentional?  
The number of letters in the names are intentional. My parents wanted to give me a unique name, and since my dad is from Israel they chose one with Mideastern roots. Jonah is also a Hebrew name, but the common thread for all of us, even my parents and the dogs, is that our names have five letters.
 
3. How would you describe the family dynamic between you and your brothers?  
We get along really well. I'm the most extroverted of the three of us outside of the house, but my brothers have big personalities at home. We are all pretty quiet in public but our personalities come out around our friends. Jaden and I are very similar in that way. I'm definitely the spokesperson for the three of us. I'm kind of like a mini mom for them, which is just a natural instinct.  
 
4. Is that natural instinct to lead and take care of others part of why you work as a CLS Summer Camp counselor?  
I've always loved kids since I was young, so it's the perfect job for me. I started the summer before sophomore year and I love it. Our assignments can change week-to-week, but I like doing Camp Victor because you and another counselor are in charge of the kids and you really get to know them. I like to talk to them and it's amazing how quickly you form bonds. Sometimes it can be stressful but it can also be a lot of fun. Jaden did it last summer and he's doing it again this year too.
 
5. Counselors here have fun names. What's yours and how did you get it?
I'm Pickles, because I love pickles. You pick three names and then everyone decides.
 
6. When did you become a Latin Hawk and who have been some of your most impactful teachers?  
I've been at Latin since kindergarten. In Lower School, I loved Mrs. Owen, my second grade teacher, and I stayed in touch with her. In Middle School, Mr. Creamer was one of my favorites. I misbehaved a lot in that class and he was very sweet and understanding. In Upper School, Mrs. Coble has been great. She teaches biology. She has a daughter our age and can relate to what us and what's going on in our personal lives. I also love Señor Caraballo. He is very funny and nice and he really gets to know his students.
 
7. What has been the most challenging part of your junior year?
I played volleyball in the fall and now softball in the spring, and when you're in season for your sport it can make for some very long days. I also wake up early to come work out before school. On days when I get home late and I'm exhausted from being productive and active all day, I just want to lay in bed. Getting homework done on those days when you just want to eat and go to sleep is the most challenging. It's definitely manageable, but you have to be disciplined to get at least some of your work done during the day.
 
8. You are a very consistent morning workout participant in the Strength Center. How did that start?  
It started during Covid when we had workouts outside on the track. We had barbells outside and had to stay far apart, but Coach Paige walked us through the exercises and I liked it. Then when the Strength Center opened, I was a little intimidated going in as a freshman but I had another group of girls that would go in with me. We had a little squad. That year, I just did it in the winter, after school between seasons, but I've been going in the morning this entire year.
 
9. Have you seen an impact?
Definitely. I hold the record for squat and bench for girls and it's made me feel stronger and faster on the field. I've liked feeling myself get stronger and seeing myself look stronger. It also makes me feel good, like I've accomplished something. I leave the weight room in the morning satisfied that I've already gotten that work in.
 
10. You mentioned being intimidated initially and that is common among girls. How do we get more of our female athletes to use the Strength Center consistently?
I've tried to get more girls in there. I've asked a lot of my friends to come in with me, but a lot of them don't want to come in the morning. After school, I think there are more girls working out and Coach Peters being a presence in there has helped make girls feel more comfortable. I want girls not to be scared to come in. The guys sometimes take up all the racks and it's intimidating to ask them to give you one, but Coach Paige will always help you. And I can always help too. If any girls want to come work out in the morning, I can help them.
 
11. How did your sports journey unfold to lead you to current day, being a volleyball and softball player?
I actually started out as a dancer when I was really young, maybe two years old. I started competing around 7 or 8 years old and went to Miller Street Dance Company. A little before that, around age six, I was at t-ball games for my brothers and thought it looked fun, so I asked my parents if I could play softball. I played rec for awhile and continued to dance competitively, but around age 11 I had to make a choice. I was at the age where dance was going to require me to be in the studio every day of the week, but that impacted softball and we were starting to travel to tournaments on the weekends. I loved dance but I had more of a passion for softball, so that's what I chose and started doing travel teams. My dad actually gathered a bunch of my friends and we made a team that he coached. We were really good at a young age and it made me develop such a love for the sport. Volleyball was just something fun to try. I had enjoyed the fifth grade volleyball tournament so when some of my friends decided to play in 7^th grade, I joined with them. I really liked the pace of the game and having to make split-second decisions. I was the setter, which I've been taught is like the quarterback of the court. I have to make the play to get the ball in the best position for the hitter, and it's a great feeling when the hitter gets a good kill to have made that assist. I'm not planning to play next year though. I'll be focused on softball as a senior.
 
12. Does that mean you have aspirations to play in college and are working on recruitment?
Yes, I hope to play in college, and the (club softball) team I'm on focuses a lot on recruiting. We go to a lot of showcase tournaments where college coaches come to watch and you can invite them to your games. It's a great way to get exposure, which I also do through camps. Every college hosts camps. The combination of the showcases and the camps is the way you get recruited.
 
13. Does that create a sense of competition within your club team?  
Definitely. We're competing all the time just to get a spot to play on the team, but our coach knows that we're all trying to get recruited so we generally all get playing time. Several of my teammates have made commitments already. I think I'm the last (class of) 2025 to commit. I feel some pressure, but I am on my own path, following my own pace, and I have a strong sense of where I want to go. The time will come for me if I follow that.
 
14. What are the main differences between playing for club versus playing for Latin?  
On my club team, we have established roles and an established level of success. We understand what our strengths and weaknesses are and we are very realistic about the competition and our position in it. For Latin, it's more laidback but there's a different vibe of knowing our job. Especially the more experienced players. We are trying to lead the team and help everyone get better and continue to grow. We know the talent that we have and we have high expectations for our team, but we're building a program and our goal is to get better each year. We've been competitive in every single game this year, which is a drastic improvement to how my class came in to high school. Sydney (Thune), Ainsley (Sullivan) and I rely on each other a lot. We know our job and we support each other. I have so much trust in them and we all share the ambitious goal of getting the team to the state championship our senior year.
 
15. What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of softball?
I love the pace of the game and how it's not based on time. I love the competitiveness of it and the very clear purpose. It's also a very team-oriented sport. You need all nine players to win and I've loved that aspect in every team I've been on. My least favorite? Baseball and softball are called the games of failure for a reason. Getting on base three out of ten times is considered successful, so that can get in your head. It's a hard thing when you fail, or mess up, or bobble a ball to overcome the disappointment. Mentally, there is a natural pressure, so overcoming that is the hardest thing.
 
16. How do you like having your dad on the Latin coaching staff?  
I love his coaching style and I think it's the perfect fit for me. I also think he works really well with Coach Banda. She's a quieter coach who knows our potential, sets high expectations for us and likes to let us do our own thing. My dad is more outspoken. He can be aggressive with his coaching style but he also loves to have fun. Them working together strikes a great balance.
 
17. Do you have a preference between hitting or being in the field?  
Hitting and base running are my favorite. I have some speed and I love to take advantage of that and steal bases and score. I'm the lead-off hitter and my job is to get on base. I try to fill that role well, then hopefully I get moved around by the next hitter and can get in position to score. It's a great feeling to be able to help my team that way.
 
18.  What's been your favorite Latin sports memory so far?  
There are a few. I think beating Metrolina this past year 8-7 is probably my favorite. There was a lightning delay in the middle and it was raining and there were some questionable calls. In the past, in previous years, we probably would've given up. But we didn't. It was really back-and-forth and we pulled through at the end. It was such a team-oriented win and it really showed our progress.
 
19. Do you have any personal goals for the playoffs and beyond into your senior year?  
Personally, I want to continue to be a leader. I want to make progress as a hitter and fielder so I can continue to help our team get better. I want to be strong in all aspects, mentally and physically. I think next year is going to be a breakthrough season for all of us.
 
20. If you could give young Talia some advice, something you've learned as you've grown, what would it be?
Take advantage of every single opportunity you get. Do everything you can and live every experience to the fullest. Don't get stuck in your own head. Just enjoy the moment.