Athlete of the Week: Consistency, attitude pays off for KK Melgoza
By Bill Tamburrino
Her real name is Karissa Danielle Melgoza but most of her friends and teammates don’t know that. They call her KK.
“When I was in first grade I had a friend that wanted to call me KK. I don’t know why. Maybe she couldn’t pronounce Karissa, but I have been KK ever since,” she said.
It may sound like a cliché, but KK Melgoza is like another coach on the field.
“She has good stats and can do a lot at the plate but her true value to this team is her leadership. She is a great teammate and a team player in every sense of the word. She leads by example and she can flat out play centerfield,” replied Coach Antoinette Rodriguez when asked to access KK’s contribution to the team.
The senior captain has been the starting centerfielder since her freshman season. She can run down fly balls with the best of them. Last year the Sentinel ran a series of photos where she literally ran through a fence to get an out in a CIF game. When KK is in centerfield that is where doubles go to die.
At the plate she can bunt for a hit, lay down a sacrifice bunt and hit line drives. Her base running skills are right there with her fielding prowess.
KK is not only a student of the game, she is a student/athlete. Last week her 3.5 grade point average, college board scores and softball skills were recognized and rewarded by Malone University of Canton, Ohio. The Pioneers offered KK a joint scholarship to study and play softball and KK accepted.
KK is planning on majoring in Business Administration and hopes to pursue a career in hotel management.
Attending college in Ohio will be an adjustment.
“My parents (George and Anna) have attended all of my games and all of my travel ball practices since I started playing,” she said.
Anna played softball and ran track. George ran track and cross country so KK picked up her speed from both sides of her family.
KK loves softball and through softball has made friends from all over San Diego County. When asked the best aspect about playing softball at RHS, she replied, “There are no negatives.”
Why Malone University?
“On my visit it felt like home. I could see myself blending in with the students and the team,” KK said. “I felt like I belong there. I like the coach and can’t wait to to get there.”
For her leadership, attitude, consistent play on offense and defense and her scholarship, KK (Karissa Danielle) Melgoza is the Ramona Sentinel Athlete of the Week.