Kaitlyn Parcell & Will Johnson Win Post Cup Award as Pali High’s Outstanding Senior Athletes
If it’s true that hard work and passion are the measuring sticks for success, there’s no telling how high Kaitlyn Parcell and Will Johnson will rise in their respective sports.
The term “offseason” is foreign to these two dedicated individuals, who can usually be found dribbling on the field or shooting in the gym. Both have dedicated hours and hours practicing to set themselves apart from their peers and at a banquet Thursday in Mercer Hall their tireless dedication was rewarded when they were presented the Post Cup Award as the outstanding senior athletes at Palisades High in 2015-16.
Parcell has been the face of the Dolphins’ girls soccer program for four years, leading the squad in scoring every season and becoming the only player in school history (boys or girls) to tally 50+ goals and 50+ assists in her varsity career.
“To me, assists are just as rewarding as goals and it makes me so happy that I could contribute to the team in multiple ways and help other players score,” Parcell said.
Although she vividly remembers scoring five goals and assisting on two others against Venice, the most unforgettable experience for Parcell this season was watching the Pali High boys team win the school’s first CIF City Section soccer championship in dramatic fashion on a rainy night in March.
“I’ve never been so proud watching my brother Max play in that game — it was the most nerve-racking and amazing feeling ever,” Parcell said, reflecting on the Dolphins’ 2-1 overtime victory over Granada Hills. “I’m really proud of the boys for such an incredible season.”
A skilled and feared forward on the pitch, Parcell is also a super student, maintaining above a 4.0 GPA that helped her get a full-ride scholarship to Santa Clara University — one of the premiere Division I women’s soccer programs in the country. Parcell verbally committed to the Broncos as a junior and signed her national letter of intent in February.
“I chose Santa Clara because from the moment I stepped on campus I could picture myself walking to class, going to the dining hall, hanging out with friends and just being happy there,” Parcell said. “My freshman year expectations are to do well in school, make new friends, earn meaningful playing time and help the team.”
Parcell had 17 goals and 20 assists in 15 games her senior season, leading Palisades to its ninth straight Western League title and the quarterfinals of the Division I playoffs while earning All-League and All-City recognition.
“My favorite teacher at Pali is definitely Mr. Klima, who I’ve had for AP English Language and 12th-grade Honors English,” Parcell said. “He’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever met and is so passionate about English. I know whenever I walk into that class I’ll be laughing. We always end up talking about the TV show “Friends,” the New York Giants, something soccer-related, or one of a million other topics. He’s made all of his classes enjoyable. My other favorite is ceramics. I love being able to put my headphones in, listen to music, and make whatever my brain can think of and my hands can execute.”
Parcell will cherish all the hours she spent at Stadium by the Sea with incredible teammates. She considers herself lucky to have played under Pali High head coach Christian Chambers at a place that has become her sanctuary.
“My favorite place in the world is the Pali football/soccer field,” said Parcell, who lives in the El Medio Bluffs and was a standout cross country and track runner at Corpus Christi School. “There’s something about the atmosphere there that makes me so happy, almost at peace. I think it’s because I went from crammed AYSO practices on the field, waiting for the day I could play under the lights and look up to see friends and family in the stands, to actually playing on a team with my best friends, trying to tune out the sounds of the crowd and focus on the game. Whenever I’m feeling a little down or stressed I can go there to get away. I’ve never felt more at home or comfortable at another field.”
Parcell’s legacy at Palisades will extend beyond the stat sheet. In August she founded “Big Sister Sports” – a program designed to help middle school athletes improve their skills, practice techniques and conditioning. It has since been implemented at Pali High and she’s most proud of making a positive impact on her “little sister” Jordan Darrow.
“Each senior was paired up with a freshman to help acclimate them into Pali and act as their big sister,” Parcell said. “Jordan is such an incredible person and athlete. I’m really happy I can say I’m friends with her and hopefully I set a good example.”
Johnson, meanwhile, was one of only three seniors on the Pali High boys basketball team and shouldered much of the scoring burden early in the season while the Dolphins were still establishing their identity under interim head coach Donzell Hayes.
“I love the game of basketball,” Johnson said. “I love every part of it, from swishing a three to locking up on defense, all parts of the game bring me joy and I always have fun playing it.”
Johnson is following in the footsteps of his grandfather Marques Johnson and his father Kris Johnson, both of whom won City Player of the Year honors at Crenshaw High and remain the only father-son duo to win an NCAA basketball championship at the same school (UCLA). Marques went on to play 11 seasons in the NBA and was a five-time All-Star while Kris played professionally for eight seasons in Russia, Turkey, Qatar, Lebanon and China.
Serving as associate coach for Palisades in the winter, Kris mentored Will and his teammates and has naturally played an active and instrumental role in his son’s steady development.
“Without a doubt my father has been the biggest influence on my basketball career,” Johnson admitted. “He has played basketball at the highest level and thrived, just making me want more and more to become just like him.”
Johnson assumed the leadership role his senior season and was at his best when it mattered the most, draining five three-pointers in a must-win league matchup against Venice and scoring 24 points in the Dolphins’ Division I playoff victory over San Pedro. He added a team-high 20 points in Palisades’ quarterfinal defeat to Hamilton.
“My most memorable moment this year was actually in the preseason against Price,” recalled Johnson, who wore No. 54 — the now-retired jersey number worn by his grandfather and father at UCLA. “It was such a tense and close game and it came down to the final shot, which Angel Villalta hit. I was so happy we won because that was when our team turned a corner.”
A 6-foot-1 guard, Johnson was the only Palisades player selected to this year’s All-City team. He looks back at his three years on varsity with pride, knowing he left nothing on the table.
“I’m most proud of all the hard work I’ve put in paying off,” Johnson said. “I received all of the awards and recognition because I put in the time and the effort — that’s something to be proud of.”
Johnson lives in the Highlands and the best part about the community to him is the family-like atmosphere.
“It seems like just about everybody knows each other’s names and I like to feel part of a big family,” said Johnson, whose favorite class at Pali High is marine biology because in his eyes it never gets boring. “I’m definitely going to miss my friends. I’ve built so many great relationships with people and I’m sad that I know most of these will die out because of us going our separate ways.”
Outside of sports, he describes himself as a regular kid who likes to ride his bike, play video games and now and then even write goofy poetry. On the court, however, Johnson is anything but ordinary. “Will the Thrill” earned Co-Most Outstanding Player honors in the Western League (the toughest in the City) while averaging 23 points per game and leading the Dolphins in scoring, three-pointers and steals.
Unlike his fellow Post Cup winner, Johnson will not attend college in the fall, opting instead to do a post-grad year at a school he has yet to decide on.
“When I do go to college for basketball I hope to work my way up into a good role for my team that allows me and my team to thrive,” he said.
Parcell and Johnson have bright futures ahead and both are honored to receive their school’s oldest athletic honor, which has been awarded every year since 1962.
“Winning the Post Cup Award really means a lot to me because there are so many talented and dedicated athletes in the Palisades,” Parcell said. “Not everyone realizes what it takes to become a college athlete, the extra training and fitness time involved. Although it’s nice to have some recognition for the many hours I spent at the Pali field, at the end of the day I know I did it for myself.”
“I’m very thankful and blessed to receive this award,” Johnson added. “It shows how the hard work and dedication paid off. It wasn’t all for nothing.”
— Steve Galluzzo
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