Reese Johnson '19 Recruiting Profile

    My love and passion for tennis started at the age of five years old. My Grandpa Dave was the first person who introduced me to tennis. He would take me out to his neighborhood tennis courts and try to teach me how to hit a simple forehand, since I lacked to ability of hand eye coordination. After lots of afternoons at the neighborhood courts, I worked up the courage to attend a small tennis clinic nearby. I was a very shy kid, so going to a camp not knowing anyone was a big step for me. It was those clinic instructors who saw potential in me, my Grandpa Dave, and my family's faith in me that kept me playing throughout the years. Not a year went by that my love for tennis faded, in fact, it grew each and every year.

    Being a student athlete has taught me many lifelong qualities that can be applied both on and off the court. One being mental toughness. This has been a quality that I have struggled with in the past. It has caused me to lose matches, or fail a difficult test in the classroom, but as I have learned to gain this quality I have gained more confidence in myself. I won the match that I was down in the first set. I have passed those tests I really struggled with. Believing in myself, and never giving up no matter how hard the battle is, is what makes me stand out among other athletes.  Mental toughness is such an important quality to me, with all that it has lead me to accomplish. Another quality that is very important to me more as a person than an athlete is having a good character. I have been captain for my tennis team the past two years, and it is not always easy. I have had to learn that I might not always make the most popular decisions, but in the end those decisions are what we need in order to be good athletes as well as being a good person. It takes that one leader to stray away from those who are not making the smartest decisions to get the others to start following you on the right path. This is what I try to do on the court with my teammates, as well as in the classroom. Showing a strong character shows who you are on the inside. I want to show that I am that person, who is willing to make those tough decisions, who is going to set a good example in the classroom, and who is willing to give it her all in order to improve the team. 

    I have been so fortunate to play on an amazing team who has taught me leadership skills, teamwork, determination, and commitment. I have gone to a great school who has offered me an amazing education and a variety of opportunities, and that is what I am looking for when deciding on a college to attend. I am hoping to fulfill my hopes of attending a program who helps me strive for success both on the court and in the classroom. I will work hard to do my best in every aspect of my college experience. I have the motivation, talent, and work-ethic to compete and make an impact for a college team, and I will take those qualities and apply them classroom to be the best student that I can be.