Student Athlete of the Week – Melia Johnson
Meet Melia Johnson. A natural-born athlete and a four-year starter at Desert Christian Academy. Melia has truly solidified herself as one of the best players in program history.
"I think my goal this year is to just be the best that I can be and just try and develop more as this is my last year of high school," said Desert Christian senior Melia Johnson. "I’m definitely trying my best to take initiative and step into this leadership role that I’ve been given this year as captain."
Captain, she is, but Melia has a much bigger connection with this program. It’s a family affair. Especially when it comes to her coach.
"She’s the only one that I’ve really coached. I’ve coached my middle one till she was 14 but Melia was the only one that I’ve coached in high school," said Desert Christian girls basketball head coach Chris Johnson. "She can take it, I’m pretty tough. I find myself apologizing a lot at home and giving compliments at home because I’ve been coaching for 25 years. I’m old school. Do what I say, do it right the first time. I love you but this is the way it’s going to be."
"My Dad has always coached my two sisters and me in sports and I’m the youngest of three daughters. So that’s been a little bit of an adventure. But I’m pretty used to it by now, it definitely has its pros and con’s and I can see that our relationship has definitely changed," said Johnson. "For the better."
Melia is extremely talented, but her athletic journey wasn’t easy.
"What brings tears to my eyes is that when she was a freshman she attracted graves’ disease," said coach Johnson. "She went from 136 pounds to a 106 pounds. We didn’t know if it was cancer or what was going on. It took us till December of that year to finally get it diagnosed. So everything she does, she does with Graves’ disease."
What’s special is Melia not only hasn’t let her condition takeover her passion, but her heart knows she is meant to help others.
"I know I want to major in psychology, growing up I have two special needs cousins. One has autism and one has another type of learning disability. So I’ve always been around them and spent a lot of time with them and that’s something that’s touched my heart and an area that I would like to help everyone else in," said Johnson.
If you know a future student-athlete of the week and want to nominate someone, please contact Sports Director Blake Arthur or Bailey Arredondo.
