Cathedral City left tackle Isaac Calderon is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Isaac Calderon is an offensive lineman who lives up to his position and keeps pushing forward both on and off the field. “The people that I work with, people like my teammates, and the feeling of accomplishment just really drives me,” Calderon

La Quinta wide receiver/defensive back Payton Reynolds is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Payton Reynolds is a star on both sides of the field for La Quinta, and his upbringing comes from the work he puts on the field.  “It’s really just all mental,” Reynolds said. “You can put anything you put your mind

Palm Desert libero Sienna Acosta is this week’s student-athlete of the week. “She has been working really, really hard this off-season,” head coach Melissa Walker said. “So being able to see that improvement this year for us, it’s been such a huge blessing, and I’m really excited for her this year.” Sienna Acosta, a libero

Xavier Prep girls volleyball setter Juliette, aka “Juju” Rothe, is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Juju Rothe has been very grateful to be alongside her dad at Xavier Prep. However, her dad acting as a coach is what pushes her to give it her all on the court. “You want to do well for

Indio girls volleyball setter Mackenzie Morin is this week’s student-athlete of the week. A leader and a star are the two words used to describe Mackenzie Morin at Indio High School, but where she is now comes from her drive to be better.  “I work really hard for it,” Morin said. “I have so much

Coachella Valley running back Aaron Ramirez is this week’s student-athlete of the week. “A word that describes him as a person is determined, and I think that’s him as an athlete and as an individual,” head coach Bill Johnson said. “I think he’s determined to meet goals, to push through difficult times. He takes on

Congratulations to Sienna Rodriguez and Jayvin Baxa! Congrats to our 2023-2024 Student Athletes of the Year, Sienna Rodriguez and Jayvin Baxa!Rodriguez – Indio, 4 sports, 4.37 GPABaxa – La Quinta, baseball, 4.4 GPA My Thai is awarding $1,000 to each high school for their efforts. Watch the full interview tonight on @KESQ! pic.twitter.com/usgu9mwUjl— Blake Arthur

Palm Desert baseball shortstop Tyler Barsess is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Being on the varsity team for all four years, Barness worked day in and day out to reach his goal. “I think just experience,” Barsness said. “When I started playing as a freshman, everyone was bigger than me and I was intimidated,

Cathedral City High School softball pitcher Guadalupe Castro is this week’s student-athlete of the week.  As the Lions reached the playoffs for the first time in the school’s history, the people closest to Castro helped her achieve that goal.   “What pushes me is my family,” Castro said. “They’re the ones who motivate me to get

La Quinta baseball shortstop Jayvin Baxa is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Jayvin Baxa, a competitor and leader for the Blackhawks, says his faith drives him to excel both on and off the field. “It goes back to God. All glory goes to God,” Baxa said. “I just try to do my best to

Indio Boys’ volleyball outside hitter Jordan Dickens is this week’s student-athlete of the week. As Indio claimed the DVL title in its inaugural season, Dickens takes in every moment, especially for his final year with the Rajahs. “It feels amazing. I mean, my team worked really hard to get here and from now on, we

Palm Desert softball pitcher Natalie Rey is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Playing all positions on the diamond during her four years on the varsity team, Rey enjoys being in the circle the most. “You’re in control of the game like you control it,” Rey said. “So if you’re throwing crazy, that’s going to

Palm Desert track and field senior Jaliyah Alexander is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Specializing in 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, 100-meter sprint, and the 4×1 relay, Alexander is the standard for the Aztecs. “Jaliyah represents everything we want in the Aztec community and on the Aztec program,” head coach Mark Monroy said. “She devotes

Shadow Hills baseball pitcher and outfielder Julian Herrera is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Primarily pitching on the mound for the Knights, Herrera mentioned it is all about being calm and collected in the moment. “I just try to stay calm, and I try not to overthink things,” Herrera said. I mean, being a

Indio softball outfielder Sienna Rodriguez is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Playing softball, water polo, volleyball, and track and field for the Rajahs, Rodriguez’s motivation to excel is her team. “I’m a competitive person and I think what motivates me is my team,” Rodriguez said. “I want to do it for them … I

La Quinta track and field sprinter Jaeleene Ramos is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Success for Ramos would be an understatement, as she has been part of a team that has won three championships. However, she credits her success to the people closest to her. “Something that motivates me on the track is probably

Rancho Mirage baseball pitcher and shortstop Malakai Lopez is this week’s student-athlete of the week. As a multi-sport athlete, Lopez uses his competitive fuel to become a better student and athlete. “I feel like I’m a very competitive person. I’m always wanting to get better,” Lopez said. “I always want to get to the next

Palm Desert’s boys tennis player Bhargav Jakkaraju is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Playing on the varsity team his freshman year, coaches and teammates noticed that Jakkaraju was more than an athlete; he was a student of the game. “He has really matured very much. He started playing for me as a freshman. In

Xavier Prep softball pitcher and utility player Dani Dardano is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Dardano, who has played on varsity since her sophomore year, mentioned that balance is the key to being an all-around athlete and a great student in the classroom. “I like to keep a really balanced life,” Dardano said. “I

Indio Girls’ water polo point Mia Buelna is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Joining the varsity team as a sophomore, Buelna was ready to compete as soon as she joined. “It was clear from the start that she wanted to get better at the sport, and she really proved from an early stage that

Palm Desert Boys’ soccer goalie Michael Cornwell is this week’s student athlete of the week. Described as a displinced and competitive athlete, Cornwell credits those traits from the people that are closest to him. “This team is built on allowing me to be the best because they are the best I can ask for,” Cornwell

Rancho Mirage Boys’ soccer Emiliano Dominguez is this week’s student athlete of the week. As described by coaches and teammates, Dominguez’s character is humble, relentless, competitive, and a great friend on and off the field. Playing on the varsity team since he was a freshman, Dominguez and his coach have built a long-lasting relationship. “We

The Shadow Hills girls wrestling program has won four straight league titles and a lot of that success can be attributed to senior star Kaylin Montano. Shadow Hills senior wrestler Kaylin Montano is our student athlete of the week.🏅 2x league champ🏆 1 @CIFSS title (hopefully 2 soon)📚 Bookworm👩‍🔬 Plans to study chemistry or biology💊 Wants to

“The biggest maturity I’ve seen in Audrey is a leadership role,” La Quinta Girls’ basketball coach Electra Viveros said. When she came into the program, she was on varsity off the bat, but she was more of a role player, and she had others around her who were shining at the time, and now she

Rancho Mirage senior guard Gram Craven is this week’s featured student athlete. A basketball fanatic, Craven knew exactly which program he wanted to lace up for.  “I’ve been playing basketball my whole life. I always wanted to play high school,” said Craven. “That’s why I came here because I knew coach Hanmer and he’s a

“I’m in my 13th year of doing this and he’s by far, by far, the best scorer that I’ve been around. He just has a natural ability to make shots and that comes from hours and hours of him being in the gym,” said Sobczyk. “He’s just a very confident young man.”  What are you trying

Kamryn Mercado will be the spotlight for La Quinta water polo this season. An experienced swimmer that is stepping into a leadership role.  It’s been a great experience to have her on the team. Right away, it was really obvious that she had leadership skills,” said LQ head coach Gregg Garczynski. “And so that’s why

How would you describe her as an athlete?  “As an athlete, she’s scrappy. This is her second year so we’re really developing on her technique right now,” said Indio head coach Miguel Villalobos. “And trying to focus on her aggressiveness on the mat. She’s doing a good job with us and she won the league

“So, I met Messiah when I first got hired on here in January, you know, kind of started getting knowing the kids and just kind of filling out who they are as a person. When we got out out here on February, started to see what kind of athletes we have. He was by far

How would you describe him as a football player? “Hard worker, determined, tenacious,” said Palm Desert head coach Rudy Forti. “Just gets after it.”  Dawson Johnson is a football enthusiast. He didn’t find football, football found him.  “I never really played football growing up. I grew up in Canada,” said Johnson. “So a big soccer family,