Avery Johnston '21 Recruiting Profile

 Athletics has always been a part of my life, swimming, soccer, tennis, dance and basketball all started at a young age and it wasn’t until jumping in the pool with a ball that everything fell into place. That was the moment I realized water polo is my passion and my dream is to continue to compete at a collegiate level. My freshman year, I tried out for the team and immediately our coach wanted me to get in the cage because of my aggressiveness, strong legs and accurate passes. I was amazed at how the skills I’d developed in basketball, soccer and swimming translated to the game of Water Polo.  By the end of my freshman year I had been pulled up to varsity to play as the starting goalie for the remainder of the season and have continued to play year-round for a club team (Lamorinda Water Polo). Every year I continue to work hard developing my technical, situational and leadership skills in the pool. 

  Over the last three years, I have played an important role in building the Liberty Lions water polo team into a program we can all be proud of. My freshman year we finished the season 12-12, sophomore 18-7 and last year finishing with a school record of 22-4 overall and 5-0 in league. Our team ranking over the last 3 years went from 16th seed in Division 1 to 3rd seed Division 1 to 8th seed Open Division. My Saves as a sophomore were 179 which increased to 277 this past year.

As a Student Athlete I have always focused on the importance of balancing my time between school and sports. I pride myself on being a straight A student, maintaining a 4.0 through highschool and being a member of the National Honor Society and California Scholarship Federation. I am also involved in many clubs outside of that including Pride Squad, Interact Club, and Wake Club. In the next following years I intend on continuing to strive for excellence both in and out of the water and work towards a degree in Accounting. 

Aquatic Sports have had a huge impact on my life, it has transformed me into a confident, outgoing and driven leader who knows the value of hardwork, determination and the joy of victory. I knew in my heart that it was important for me to create this experience for others. That is why in 2018 in addition to playing on my own, I decided to give back to my community by volunteering with the next generation of water polo players by coaching 4-8 year olds in a modified water polo setting that we call Splashball. I also coach local athletes in the Spring who compete in Special Olympics. The leadership role is one I feel comfortable embracing. I know that trait of my personality will only grow stronger as I move forward in my Water Polo journey.