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Senior middle hitter Sarah Johnson had a solid effort in the SIU Saluki Invitational with her all-tournament selection. Johnson had 38 kills and a .203 hitting percentage.

Today's athlete just might be tomorrow's doctor

By: Elyssa Brogdon

Posted: 9/10/07

Volleyball's senior middle hitter Sarah Johnson has several goals for her future, many involving medicine.

"I want to go to medical school," Johnson said. "I want to become a surgeon of some sort probably. I'd also like to do a lot of volunteering overseas and a program called Doctors Without Borders sometime in the future … after I have my medical degree." She is awaiting her MCAT score, and if it is good, she'll apply to a medical school on the East Coast. Even if her scores aren't up to her standards, medicine is still in her backup plan.

"If I decide to take it again to get a better score, then next year I'll probably volunteer somewhere overseas to do something with my time since I didn't get to travel abroad while here at the university," Johnson said.

This would not be her first experience working across the world.

"A year ago I went to Africa to learn about the medical system down there, because of my desire to be in the medical field," Johnson said. "We took a trip to an orphanage. I was playing with the little kids and they were smiling and giggling … just making these little girls laugh that were there [at the orphanage] with … no family was pretty rewarding."

Laughter is not her only skill in the medical field. Though her busy volleyball schedule doesn't currently permit it, Johnson volunteers at Saint Luke's Hospital in the off-season. Looking to her past experience in Africa as well as volunteering at St. Luke's, Johnson's plans for her future are no less momentous. Her goals within the medical field are rigorous, but, based on past history, there's nothing she feels unable to handle.

At age 12, Johnson became a first-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Although she was belted years ago, trying to beat this girl may prove to be a challenge.

Johnson admits to not being athletic as a child.

"I was always on the C team, the B team, I was never very good," Johnson said. "My freshman year when I went out for volleyball I remember I went home and cried and cried, because I was so bad and all my friends were a lot better than me. My dad was just like, well you are going to have to practice to get better, so I practiced a lot and worked at it, and I traveled an hour and a half to play club volleyball."

She will miss some of the UMKC student body when she graduates.

"I'll miss the girls, my teammates and my roommates," Johnson said. "It's a blessing and a curse having to see them every day. I love them to death and we have fun but some days you're just like uuuugh, but we are still always there so it will be really weird not seeing them everyday."

Johnson is caring and compassionate not only when it comes to her friends but also first acquaintances, traits that will aid her in her future endeavors, but what gives her the greatest satisfaction now?

Johnson simply stated, "In life, a good CD."

ebrogdon@unews.com