Charlotte Reis is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Edge High School for AZPreps365.com

GOODYEAR — Shadai Wilson is known at Desert Edge for electrifying the gym with her blocks and kills. Underneath it all, Wilson is taking charge of her future and legacy. 

Wilson has been playing on Desert Edge’s varsity girls volleyball team for three years and almost 10 overall in the sport. She was named Honorable Mention for the 5A Desert West Region as a sophomore, and second team All-Region her junior year. 

“It's no secret to anybody that we play that Shadai is a powerful middle, that often comes with teams deciding to double or even triple block her attacks,” assistant coach Kelsey Clark said.

Head coach Tiffany Liddile, who started coaching at Desert Edge this year, said during a match against Westview in September, Wilson’s performance made her realize how she can become a standout player. 

In the third set, Wilson came into the match and put down the game-winning kill, with Liddile “...watching her in awe.”

Going into the last week of the regular season, Wilson said her focus is not only on making the 5A playoffs but also on figuring out the future of her volleyball career. As the clock runs down on her senior year, her dreams of playing collegiate volleyball depend on her talent and outreach.

“You have to make sure you make yourself known,” Wilson said. “After my tournament [Saguaro Last Chance Invite], all I was doing was sending out film to coaches.”

Finding her home doesn’t mean “D1 or bust.” She said it means finding somewhere where she can make an impact and make memories outside her sport. 

“I want to go to a team where I’m gonna flourish,” Wilson said. “I like to see how a school’s players are doing, on the court and off.”

To maximize the number of opportunities she can get, Wilson reached out to Liddile about her plans to play collegiate volleyball. In turn, Liddile has been helping her in the recruitment process since the start of the season.

“I’ve been really encouraging her to continue working, stay prepared, stay present,” Liddile said. 

Despite the pressure to commit to a specific college, Wilson is keeping her options open, applying to schools such as Northern Arizona University and the University of Oregon for exercise science.

“These schools will see something in you that you’ve done in the past,” Wilson said. “It’s all in the person you are and the things you’ve accomplished.”

Her accomplishments aren’t the only thing colleges will get; they’ll also get her personality and willingness to help others.

This is what Liddile noticed when she first arrived: Wilson’s potential to become a leader and supportive teammate.

“She takes the underclassmen under her wing,” Liddile said. “She’s there to work with them, to show what it takes to compete at this level.” 

For people that don't know Wilson, they “...don't get to see Shadai's heart as much as we do,” Clark said. “She cares very deeply for her teammates.” 

As Wilson is about to close her volleyball chapter on Desert Edge, her legacy will remain at the school through her teammates, coaches and spectators.

“Years from now, I think I will remember Shadai as a powerhouse whose attack was rarely met with answers,” Clark said. “As a person, though, I will remember Shadai as the definition of caring towards the people she loves.”