Athlete of the Week: Paige Johnson

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Ponte Vedra High School’s Paige Johnson recently signed to play volleyball at the collegiate level with Davidson College in North Carolina. In this week’s edition of Athlete of the Week, the Recorder sat down with Johnson to discuss the next step in her academic and athletic career, what it takes to be successful at volleyball and more.

How does it feel to sign to play volleyball for Davidson College?

I am so excited to play at Davidson. It's a dream school — everything that I would want. I'm excited for the coaches, the academics, playing division 1. It's everything I've ever wanted.

Why did you decide to play volleyball?

I chose to play volleyball because my mom played in high school and so she was a good influence on me and recommended that I play the sport. I played softball when I was younger, and I was looking to try something different. I started playing when I was in fourth grade.

What do you do to train to get better?

Definitely practicing hard is important. I take a lot of personal lessons one-on-one with my coaches, and I work out at least three times a week — lifting and agility — to get better stronger so I can play well in games.

Is teamwork an important component of the sport?

For sure. You have to get along very well with your teammates. You have to have a close-knit team to play well. The chemistry is very important on the court, making sure everything flows properly and knowing your teammates have your back and they're covering what they're supposed to be is really important to be successful in games.