Tej Johnson '19 Recruiting Profile

    My parents have had the biggest influence on my life. They've instilled important values in me like unselfishness, humbleness, honesty, respect, and dignity, to list a few. When I was younger my parents were very involved in my life and they had me play a number of sports, one being basketball. I started playing organized basketball at the age of four and have stuck with it ever since because I have developed a love and passion for the game and have found that playing the game is a great stress-reliever. Basketball has taught me that I can do more mentally and physically than I thought possible. In high school, I want to maintain a high GPA as I take increasingly rigorous AP classes and score highly on the AP exams and SAT to keep as many doors open for me as possible. As for college, I am not completely decided on a major, but I think something business related would fit me well. One obstacle that I've had to overcome was my freshman year basketball team. I was blessed to be the first and only freshman in school history to make varsity basketball; however, this meant that the majority of the upperclassmen were not very nice nor helpful in making my experience any easier. On top of that, I had to adapt to a coach that wanted nothing less than perfection and had a more aggressive coaching style than what I was used to. I had to stay focused and overcome the coaches yelling and the solitary feeling my teammates put me in in-order to get to where I am today. 

    I am strong-minded, hardworking, and a leader. I always try to be the hardest working person whether it be in the weight room, basketball court, or on the track because it is the most efficient use of time. I like to think that if I'm going to do something, I might as well give it 100% and do it right. This work habit helped me make varsity basketball and varsity track and field my freshman year and set the freshman school high jump record. Then, it helped me maintain a starting spot, be team captain for basketball, and make first team all-league my sophomore year. By being on varsity and around older kids so early, it has made me mature faster on and off the court or track. Most importantly, I have learned what to do and what not to do as a leader. I learn quickly, work hard, and lead predominantly by example. I am confident this skill set will help me compete and be successful at the next level.