Nansemond River High School junior track and field sensation Brandeé Johnson was inducted into an elite cadre of athletes this past week when she was presented with the Ellis Loveless Memorial Award by the Norfolk Sports Club as part of the club’s 70th annual Jamboree.

The award recognizes the outstanding metropolitan scholastic athlete of a given year as determined by a Norfolk Sports Club committee.

Previous high school winners have included Olympic gold medal-winning track stars LaShawn Merritt and LaTasha Colander Clark, Super Bowl champion Percy Harvin, MLB player B.J. Upton and former NBA star Alonzo Mourning.

“It means a lot to me,” Johnson said of receiving the award. She later added, “I was just amazed that they listed me as being in the same category with all these people that had done so much.”

Nansemond River activities director Kristy Brett, who was on hand for the award presentation on Monday in Norfolk, later said, “If you look at the list of former award winners, it’s definitely a who’s who of athletes in the Hampton Roads area. She is very deserving of it.”

Lady Warriors coach Justin Byron has trained some stellar athletes that have come out of the area and indicated Johnson is right up there with them because of the combination of her talent and determination.

“Her brain is not wired to be average or good,” he said. “She has to be great.”

Perhaps the most startling aspect of the Norfolk Sports Club’s recognition is that it was based on what she accomplished as a sophomore in 2014.

“That, I’m kind of speechless,” Johnson said, later adding, “I’m just really excited to see what else I have in store.”

Byron noted he does not like to put emphasis on awards with his athletes, so as to avoid the issues that come with pride.

“We try our best not to stop and take too much time,” he said. “My goal for them is to stay humble and stay hungry.”

Consequently, when he saw a listing of Johnson’s achievements, even he was stunned by what all she has done.

During her sophomore indoor track season, she won Group 4A state championships in the 300-meter dash and the 4×400-meter relay, helping her team take second.

In the outdoor season, she won state titles in the 200-meter dash and the 300-meter hurdles, helping her team win its first outdoor state title in school history.

Johnson earned eight All-American honors and two top-10 national rankings.

She also made an impact on the world stage, participating in the USA Youth Olympic Trials and taking first in the 200-meter dash. She took bronze in the 200 at Second Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

At the luncheon where she was presented with the award on Monday, Johnson gave a speech before former presidents of the Norfolk Sports Club.

“When she made her speech, she said I’d like to thank my coach for keeping me humble,” Byron said.

He noted that given all she has already accomplished, maybe keeping her humble is the most important thing he’s done for her.

“In the speech, I talked about my family and God, of course, and how they humbled me and gave me all the love and support I needed” to be in a position to receive this award, Johnson said. “I also talked about Coach B and all the support he gives us, and also I talked about my teammates,” supporting and pushing her.