Waubonsie Valley sophomore Michael Johnson grew up playing basketball, like almost everyone in his family.
He never thought about volleyball, even though his mother, Tornita, played volleyball in high school. Then the coronavirus pandemic happened.
“I used to watch a lot of cartoons,” Johnson said. “The one I've been watching is 'Haikyuu!!'” I started watching it during the quarantine period. There was nothing else to do. That's when I started to love volleyball. ”
Johnson's middle school does not offer boys volleyball, so he had no competitive experience or formal training by the time he entered high school. That changed quickly.
“As soon as I heard there was a 9th grade volleyball program, I applied,” he said.
The timing turned out to be fortuitous. Johnson tried out for the basketball team as a freshman at Waubonsie Valley College, but was not selected. Johnson wanted to stay involved in the sport, so he worked as a team manager. He tried again this year and was cut again.
The news surprised Waubonsee Valley volleyball coach Noel Soto, who witnessed Johnson's raw athleticism when he played on the freshman boys volleyball team last spring.
“When he got hurt, he came to open the gym and I said, 'Hey, I've got a basketball,'” Soto said. “He said he was cut. 'How?' I said.
“I don't know if they have anything better than this kid.”
Johnson told Soto that she was a full-time volleyball player. That was music to Soto's ears.
“I said, 'I'll take you.' We won't cut you,” Soto said.
Basketball's loss was volleyball's gain. Johnson is a 6-foot-2 right-side hitter who quickly adapted to volleyball because of his athleticism and drive.
Johnson put his skills on display Monday when he was tasked with going up against Geneva senior outside hitter Jack Murray, 6-6, a Loyola rookie and member of the U.S. U19 national team.
The visiting Vikings won 25-11, 25-20, but Murray was held to four kills. Johnson blocked him four times for a score and also had touches on several other balls.
“(Marie) is phenomenal,” Soto said. “This is for Geneva, a four-year varsity starter, and for Michael, a sophomore, to do what he did to himself, but (Marie) isn't used to that. He's going to be blocked. I'm not used to it. That one block hit him in the forehead.”
Soto had no hesitation in assigning Johnson to Murray despite the height discrepancy.
“He's a crazy rabbit with legs,” Soto said of Johnson. “He can jump.”
But Mr. Soto did not reveal Murray's resume to Mr. Johnson.
“I didn't know that,” Johnson said. “I'm glad they didn't say that.”
Johnson knew the Warriors (8-20) were facing a rebuilding year, but that didn't dampen his enthusiasm heading into his first varsity season.
“It was everything I expected and more,” he said. “I spent the summer training hard to get ready for the season, and this season has been overwhelming with how much fun and excitement it has had.”
That has been communicated to everyone.
“You can't bring that kid down,” Soto said. “He's always smiling. He's an all-around great kid and a great teammate.”
In fact, Johnson has many interests apart from the court. He plays drums in his school band and has several potential career interests.
“I loved playing with Legos, so I imagined myself doing engineering,” he said. “I'm an artist, so I can basically help with design and things like that.
“I like drawing people and robots. I can draw buildings, so you can see me doing architecture.”
This season, Johnson is looking ahead to the future in volleyball.
“I feel like I'm doing well for my first year (on the national team),” he said. “Obviously there are some things I wish I could have done better, but overall I feel great.
“It changed my mentality. It changed my attitude towards sports. My dream now is to go to a really good college. The coaches have told me that I want to go to a DI like UCLA or Hawaii. We want them to see that they are good enough to be on the team.”
As for his old sport, Johnson said it's in the rearview mirror.
“I'm a retired basketball player now,” he said.
Matt Le Crenn is a freelance reporter.
