Brooke Johnson, freshman setter, has come to Texas State looking to make a real impact on this year’s volleyball team.
Growing up in Tomball, Texas, a city of almost 11,000 in the Houston Metropolitan area, Johnson had sports in her blood.
Her father, Clint Johnson, was an All-American golfer at Abilene Christian University while her mother, Vanessa Johnson, was inducted into the New Mexico State University Athletics Hall of Fame after competing in volleyball from 1988-91.
Brooke Johnson’s high school career was filled with accolades. From being named the Houston Chronicle’s Player of the Week to winning District MVP, the table was set for her at the next level.
“It’s a lot faster, with a lot of better players,” Johnson said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Brooke Johnson has kept up, already in the top five in a few of the statistical categories, due in part by her competitive nature. After almost every practice, you can see her and at least one or two other teammates after practice working on serves or movement.
“I’m very, very, competitive and I’m always trying to get better,” Johnson said. “It’s normal for me to stay after (practice) and put in work.”
That type of work ethic in a player as young as Johnson is rare to see. “It’s very hard especially when I’m so young and inexperienced, but it’s a lot of fun and I enjoy the team a lot,” Johnson said.
That bonding can be attributed to the chemistry that the Bobcats have already started to establish, starting the season with more road games then home, making for a more compact team.
“(Being) on the road (is) very stressful because you’re missing a lot of classes,” Johnson said. “It’s not as fun as being at home. We have a lot work to do, but we’re making good progress.”
While the Bobcat season is still very young, Brooke Johnson and the rest of the team already have the chemistry and talent to make a deep run this year.