On Campus: Kenyon Senior Allison Johnson

By Brian Savard

SELINSGROVE, Pennsylvania, September 7. ON Campus focuses next on Kenyon senior economics major Allison Johnson.

The Tucson, Ariz., native competed in the 2007 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III National Championships. She placed 38th in the 50 freestyle (24.88), 13th in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.26) and fifth in the 200 breaststroke (2:22.25). Johnson also claimed a gold medal in the 200 freestyle relay, swimming the third leg in 23.97.

What is your favorite movie?
Pirates of The Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

What one song psyches you up the most before a race?
I'm not one who likes to listen to music at swim meets

What is your GPA?
3.66

Activities on campus (other than swimming)?
-Tutor fourth graders at the local elementary school
-Volunteer at the public library
-Member of Archons
-Lifeguard
-Wind Ensemble

Collegiate awards won (both academic and athletic)?
-6-time NCAA all-American
-3-time All NCAC
-Shawn M Kelly Award- received for being a team leader when depended upon
-Kenyon College Merit List for 5 semesters
-Recipient of the Paul and Catherine Titus Scholarship
-Recipient of the Kenyon Honors and Science Scholarship

Where do you see yourself five years from now?
In five years, I should be attending graduate school. I plan on working for a year or two after graduation while I decide what I want to focus on.

What made you choose the college that you attend?
As soon as I stepped on campus at Kenyon College, I felt like I was at home. The people, atmosphere and small community were exactly what I was looking for. The coaches also made an impact on me. Coach Steen's commitment to his swimmers as individuals and his enthusiasm for the sport made a huge impression on me. The Kenyon Ladies Swim Team was something I wanted to be a part of.

At what point in your swimming career did you realize your talent as an elite swimmer?
Somewhere between my freshman and sophomore years of college I had a major change in confidence. I finally believed that I could compete instead of just hoping to. I understood my role on the team and what I needed to do to accomplish my goals.

What are your goals for the 2007-08 season?
Learn to make the back 100 of my 200 breaststroke faster. Focus more on the little things in practice to get as much out of each practice as possible.

What advice would you give to a high school swimmer with your talent looking at colleges?
I think the main thing is to keep your options open. There are a lot of really good schools out there, whether it's DI, DII, or DIII. High school swimmers need to remember that there is much more to a college than swimming. They will spend far more time away from the pool than at the pool.

What is the most difficult challenge that you've had to overcome in your swimming career?
Throughout high school and into the start of my college career, I had a lack of confidence in myself. I didn't think I was a very good swimmer. I didn't believe I was capable of much improvement, and I had a major fear of failure. This severely hindered my ability to perform. For several years, I came up short when it came time for big meets.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x