Cerro Coso Community College is gearing up for the exciting return of women's basketball as they proudly introduce their newest addition to the coaching staff. Coach Keshawn Johnson, a seasoned and accomplished leader in women's basketball, has taken the helm of the Coyotes, promising a new era of excellence and determination.

Coach Johnson brings demonstrated experience to Cerro Coso. By way of Feather River Comminuty College, Coach Johnson has lead successful collegiate women's basketball programs, coupled with his passion for empowering student-athletes both on and off the court, caught the attention of the Cerro Coso selection committee.

"I believe that we found the right fit in Coach Keshawn Johnson to take the reigns and rebuild the women's basketball program. We have enjoyed recent success within the men's program, and we expect Coach Johnson to not be too far beyond in the seasons ahead," said Athletic Director, John McHenry. "Building a program from the ground up is a challenging task, but I'm confident that Coach Johnson is capable and has the energy and vision to take this on."

Coach Johnson was born in Sacramento, California and moved to Quincy with his grandparents in 2007 graduating from Quincy High school in 2012. During his high school career, he was a multiple sport athlete, finishing with MVP awards, all-section accomplishments, and northern section All-star game appearances for two different sports. He went on to compete for the Feather River College Men's Basketball team. As a team captain for the Golden Eagles, Coach Johnson was praised for his defensive tenacity and leadership ability. Coach Johnson received his A.A. in Social and Behavioral Sciences, and his B.A. in English from California State University, Chico, and also holds a M.A. in Coaching and Athletic Administration through Liberty University. 

During his time in the Chico area, Coach Johnson began to work with middle school youth basketball players providing individual and group workouts. This led to him coaching at the local middle school and working for elite travel teams in the spring. Coach Johnson fell in love with the process of watching basketball players develop new skills and their excitement when they accomplished a goal. He developed a program in which he trained youth players through college-aged athletes from all over the north state and became recognized as a premier basketball trainer. Upon returning to Quincy, Coach Johnson started K2S Athletics, a platform for the Plumas County athletes to develop skills and participate in travel basketball. Coach Johnson also worked with the Quincy High School Boys Varsity basketball team. During his time with the Trojans, they dominated the Mountain Valley league and finished with an overall record of 23-5. 

Coach Keshawn Johnson Q & A:

What vision do you have in building a program from scratch?

Building a basketball program from scratch is a very exciting opportunity. My vision is to create a culture of excellence where players develop not only their basketball ability, but also traits such as discipline, resilience, and passion to take with them beyond college athletics. 

I want our women's basketball program here at Cerro Coso to be a supportive family environment that encourages growth both on and off the court. That understands the importance of being a student athlete and not just an athletic student. Doing those things consistently allows room for a long term of programmatic success. 

How will you rely on your past coaching experience to build a new program?

I will rely on my past coaching experience to build a new program by applying previous successful strategies and lessons learned. One of the biggest things that made my past programs successful was developing and fostering a positive team culture. Players work harder for each other when they care about one another. In order for our program to be successful it has to be bigger than basketball every single day. Doing team building activities on a regular basis, allows players the opportunity to get to truly know their teammates and build a family. Once everyone realizes that team success equals individual success, we can then focus on the strategic side. 

From a strategic standpoint, competitive practices are essential. You have to win the work to compete in California. I'm coming out of the Golden valley conference where 5 of the 6 teams made the playoffs last year. You can't afford to have bad games. I expect the same level of competition in the Inland empire. It's up to me and my staff to ensure our players are prepared to compete at a high level. We like to play fast and pressure. We rely on defense to create early offense. To do this we have to be in shape, understand the importance of securing the glass, and develop a true identity in transition. This means intense practices filled with high defensive passion, positive energy, competitive drills, and skill building on a daily basis. 

Lastly coming out of a small rural college, understanding the importance of work during recruitment. Being a new program there is a lot of ground work to do to ensure prospective basketball players know we exist and are an option for them. Providing the very competitive Burroughs high school girls program with opportunities as well as the surrounding areas will be an instant first priority. 

From there it will be finding the right fit for our program. I'm looking to bring in kids who are willing to work hard, provide positive family culture, and have a positive impact on the community. I'm searching for players that young students in Ridgecrest can model their behavior after. 

How do you hope to support the overall basketball community in the Ridgecrest area?

I plan to support the overall basketball community in the Ridgecrest area by establishing outreach programs, organizing clinics, and providing resources and opportunities for local aspiring players. I will be creating partnerships with local schools, engaging with youth leagues, and attempting to offer youth coaching workshops to contribute to the growth of basketball at all levels. I would love to have my players attending local high school games, and youth games to support players and feel like Ridgecrest is their home as well. I hope to Building a sense of community through clinic events, tournaments, and mentorship programs and further strengthen the basketball culture in Ridgecrest

One thing I've done in the past is create an opportunity for a big sister program through basketball. Our local middle schools gave my students the opportunity to come to campus every other Friday and interact with the youth and provide them with positive role models. These Fridays consisted of talks about cyber bullying, social media safety, the importance of safe spaces and so much more. 

I can't state enough how excited I am to bring women's basketball to Cerro Coso 

It will be an exciting journey. And I cannot wait to get started and see what the future holds.