SANDUSKY, Ohio — Maekhiya Rameau, a senior at Sandusky High School, was selected to receive the 2026 Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Basketball Courage Award.
Despite dealing with years of housing instability and family separation, Rameau remained committed to her education and basketball.
Basketball became a coping mechanism for Rameau. In the four years she’s been at Sandusky High School, she has scored 800 career points.
"Without basketball, I would be lost. It made me mature and helped regulate my emotions,” said Rameau.
It’s also how she met her coach, John Winborn.
"She's a great person, she has a heart of gold, she cares for everybody, she'll give you the shirt off her back if she can, she wants to make sure everyone is okay, she's a leader in the classroom, and she's a leader on the court,” said Winborn.
When Winborn came across an email about nominating a player for the Jersey Mikes Subs Naismith High School Basketball Courage Award, he thought Rameau was the perfect candidate.
"Everything that she's been through has taken all the adversity, has taken tons of courage to get through,” said Winborn.
Rameau and her family have experienced moments of homelessness, living in hotels, cars or homes of loved ones.
"I had to take care of my family, you know, I had to look after my mom, and I had to worry about things that kids should not have to worry about,” said Rameau.
The Jersey Mikes Subs Naismith High School Basketball Courage Award is given to only two students nationwide each year. Tuesday night, it made its way to Sandusky. During senior night, Rameau was rewarded for her perseverance.
"It makes me realize that people notice me and that I mean something to people. I fought through everything, and people recognize that. I feel like people appreciate me and they see me,” said Rameau.
Rameau is thankful for Winborn; she says he has always tried to help her through her hardest moments.
"To be able to go through some of the situations that she has had to go through and come to school every single [day], get good grades and perform at a top athlete level night in and night out with a smile on your face speaks volumes,” said Winborn.
Along with the award, Rameau received $2,000, which will go towards Sandusky High School, and $5,000, which she plans to use towards college.
"I want to go to college and play basketball. I want to be successful in life, I don’t want to grow up and must worry about where I’m going to eat, where I’m going to stay, how I’m going to find money to afford things. My goal is to be successful and just to make my family proud and make everybody proud,” said Rameau.
And Winborn says they are going to do whatever it takes to make sure she accomplishes her dreams.
"She dreams big, and she has a lot of goals; some she's already obtained. She wants to go to college and play college basketball, and she can do that, and she's determined to do that. And us as a coaching staff, we're going to make sure we put her in the best situation that we can for her to succeed,” said Winborn.
