PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — Palm Springs senior linebacker and running back Koa Rapolla is this week’s student athlete of the week. When coaches recruit players for their football team, they’re looking for an X factor, an athlete who can do it all, and that is the exact type of player Koa Rapolla is for Palm

Desert Christian Academy running back Cashton Scott is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Every time Cashton Scott gets the ball, he cashes in for six, but he’s never played for the recognition he’s always wanted to give glory to the man above every time he steps onto the field. “I try to play the

Xavier Prep girls’ volleyball outside hitter Lyla Barkett is this week’s student athlete of the week. Barkett is a star for the Xavier Prep Saints, leading the team with 178 kills and 62 aces, but what makes her a one-of-a-kind athlete is the energetic attitude she brings every time she steps onto the court. “Her

Palm Springs senior running back/edge rusher Layla Joy is this week’s student athlete of the week. “Every snap of every play on both sides of the ball, the kid just won’t come off the field, she just goes 100%,” head coach Mark Abercrombie said. Layla Joy, an athlete who plays until the whistle blows, has

La Quinta golf captain Joanna Bushnell Crist is this week’s student athlete of the week. “There’s no way you get as good as she is in this game without putting in thousands of hours on the golf course working,” head coach Mark Williams said. “She’s just relentless. She practices every day, and just does everything

Shadow Hills linebacker David Caris is this week’s student athlete of the week. “I’m very devoted to be the best person I can be,” senior Caris said. “I know how important education is after high school, and on the field, it’s just what I love to do. I love playing football, so I want to

La Quinta defensive back and wide receiver Major Hinchen is this week’s student athlete of the week. “He was pretty heavily recruited,” head coach Juan Ramon Ruiz said. “I don’t think we’ve had a guy like that for a long time around here in the valley, so it was great to see that. He had

Indio libero Anitzi Zarco is this week’s student athlete of the week. “She’s always a great, positive person on the court,” head coach Meagan Nolasco said. “She likes to bring them up and give them corrections. It’s nice to have somebody on the court that could be a voice when I’m so far away on

Palm Desert senior girls’ tennis captain Allison Smith is this week’s student athlete of the week. “She’s an excellent player. She’s a friend to everybody. She’s a great captain. She listens to everything that I tell her and she puts it into use,” head coach Owen McIntosh said. Alison Smith has done it all at

Rancho Mirage wide receiver/defensive back Jeremiah Johnson is this week’s student athlete of the week. “Just an ultimate leader on the football field, in the weight room, and in the classroom,” head coach LD Matthews said. “Our younger players and students in our school and our program couldn’t ask for a better role model on

Coachella Valley’s libero Aiyanna Inzunza is this week’s student athlete of the week. “She’ll be the type of person to always be there for you when you need it,” senior outside hitter Yamarani Vega said. “She’ll give you the advice you need. She’ll bring you up when you’re at your lowest. She’s the best person

Palm Desert second baseman Stevie Hutchinson is this week’s student athlete of the week. Stevie Hutchinson really did it all. He not only led on the field with the highest batting average, but also off the field as a captain, cementing his name in the baseball program here at Palm Desert High School. “He puts

Cathedral City third baseman, catcher, and pitcher Amya Navarro Guzman is this week’s student athlete of the week. At Cathedral City High School, there is one word to describe Amaya Navarro Guzman.  “She shows leadership that teaches the underclassmen girls how to play, the rules they need to learn, the plays they need to learn,

Indio third baseman/ catcher Clover Cordova is this week’s student athlete of the week. Clover Cordova is a name to remember here at Indio High School. She not only plays three sports, but she was selected as the Rajahs girls’ athlete of the year. “I’ve been training Clover since she was about ten years old,”

La Quinta pitchers Max Mora and Javier Vasquez are this week’s student athletes of the week. Most baseball teams, if not all, have at least one ace, but it is really special for a team to have two go-to pitchers to start on the mound, and that is the case right here at La Quinta

Palm Desert beach volleyball player Hannah Albert is this week’s student athlete of the week. “When you get around Hannah off of the volleyball court, she’s just a very fun person to be around,” head coach Chris Braun said. “She relaxes her teammates sometimes. You know, these bus rides to our matches can be kind of

Palm Desert 4×100 meter, 100 meter, and 200 meter track star Madison Whitley is this week’s student athlete of the week. There’s no question that Madison Whitley is a great student-athlete. She’s a multi-event champion, has a 4.1 GPA, and a personality that lights up the room. “She’s everything you want a student athlete to

Xavier Saints beach volleyball player Ava Campbell is this week’s student athlete of the week. The last name Campbell here at Xavier Prep is well known. There’s Mark Campbell, who is the president of the school and the father of Ava Campbell, who is a beach volleyball star. Ava wouldn’t be the person she is

Xavier Prep boys tennis player Kieffer Brown is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Kiefer Brown has been one of the many great tennis players to come out of Xavier Prep, and what makes him truly special is the work ethic he puts both on and off the court.  “His dedication to practice every day,”

Indio middle blocker Julian Cansino is this week’s student-athlete of the week. “Julian has always been super mature with us,” head coach Meagan Nolasco said. “He works hard. He’s a good leader on campus, at the school, and I think he brings all of that knowledge and leadership that he has at the school and

Shadow Hills pitcher Ava Valenzuela is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Ava Valenzuela has had quite a career here at Shadow Hills. She’s not only a great player but does whatever it takes to win, which makes her a one-of-a-kind player.  “She knows her role, and she accepts it, and she excels at it,”

Palm Desert pitcher/ first baseman Zach Gibbs is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Zach Gibbs is quite a versatile player. He’s a pitcher, catcher, first base, and third baseman, but his versatility, well, that doesn’t define him as a baseball player. It is his competitive drive that makes him a one-of-a-kind player. “I’m going

Desert Mirage left wing Sebastian Ortiz is this week’s student athlete of the week. “He’s very respectful, he’s calm, he doesn’t scream or yell,” head coach Jorge Chavez said. “He’s very patient, and, if you see in the interview, he’s relaxed, and that’s what makes him a great captain.” Sebastian Ortiz has always been committed

Coachella Valley girls soccer center back Savannah Rivera is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Being a captain for two different teams is nothing short of special; just ask Savannah Rivera. “It’s a relief, and it’s also like an accomplishment because it’s something that I’ve always wanted to become a leader,” Rivera said. Being on

La Quinta Girls water polo wing Amaris Martinez is this week’s student-athlete of the week. “She wasn’t one to really be vocal about anything,” head coach Greg Garczynski said. “Just very quiet and kind of went about her way and just continued to work hard, and it was definitely obvious to us coaches that we

Rancho Mirage guard Vincent Davis is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Here at Rancho Mirage High School, Vincent Davis is the definition of a great student-athlete. He’s been the captain for the past three years, is the homecoming king, and has a 4.6 GPA, but Davis ‘s never really been satisfied because he continues

Palm Desert wrestler Mia Navarro is this week’s student-athlete of the week. At Palm Desert High School, senior standout Mia Navarro is not your average wrestler coming in and competing in the 100-pound weight class, but she never let her size affect her to give her all to be the very best.   “I think sometimes

Desert Christian Academy center Hannah Shaver is this week’s student-athlete of the week. “She’s really a conqueror through and through,” head coach Zach Devane said. “She’s done her own work on her own time as far as playing club and committing time during volleyball season and in the spring and whatnot. When you want to

Coachella Valley point guard Franky Aguirre is this week’s student-athlete of the week. “He has grown as a player on and off the court, as a leader,” head coach Mike Rodriguez said. “His maturity has been beyond my expectations for this year. Taking his team or taking the team on his back and setting the

Rancho Mirage center back Bryan Osorio is this week’s student-athlete of the week. “We’re blessed with the talent,” head coach Carlos Calixto said. “They love to play together. It makes our practice much easier because the level is there, and so our practices flow a lot better and faster.” Scoring 12 goals in the past