Johnson succeeds in second go-around

Sometimes things don't turn out exactly as planned.

Johnson

When Shelley Johnson arrived in Ann Arbor in the fall of 1993 for her freshman year, she planned on playing field hockey for the Wolverines.

Though not a superstar in high school, Johnson had played the sport for four years at The Kinkaid School in Houston. She was twice named all-conference.

She also excelled in basketball and softball, earning 12 varsity letters in the three sports.

After attending spring training and preseason practices at Michigan, however, Johnson decided that she did not belong on the field hockey team.

"I just realized it was not the thing for me at that time," Johnson said.

Flash forward 2 1/2 years. It is 1996, and uncertainty surrounds the field hockey program.

Despite this, Johnson walked onto the team in January 1996. In one of her last moves at Michigan, coach Patti Smith added Johnson to the team.

In the summer of 1996, new coach Marcia Pankratz and her staff arrived in Ann Arbor. Under the new regime, Johnson played in six games last season and started one, recording one assist.

"She jumped right in and was able to play at the level of a senior after not playing for three years," Pankratz said.

Johnson admits that despite the support she got from her teammates, it was physically difficult for her to return to the field after the three-year layoff.

"The conditioning that's required to play field hockey was quite a shock to the system," Johnson said. "But in terms of accepting me as part of the team ... they welcomed me with open arms."

While making a large time commitment to the team on the field, Johnson's grades remained at the same high level.

Following the 1996 season, she was named to the Field Hockey Coaches Association Academic All-America Team, Academic All-Big Ten team and was given the U-M Athletic Academic Achievement Award.

Johnson, the eldest member of the 1997 squad, is now a graduate student, who is approaching her 23rd birthday.

Johnson has no regrets about her late start in Michigan field hockey.

"I think everything works out for the best," Johnson said. "I've had an incredible opportunity working with the coaching staff we have now. It's hard to think about playing field hockey and not playing field hockey for them."

Despite her relative inexperience, Johnson has established herself as an important contributor to this Michigan team - both on and off the field.

"Shelley has really been a great leader for us," Pankratz said. "She has done a tremendous job."

Johnson earned a starting job this year in the backfield. She will retain her starting role even when four Michigan players return from South Korea this week. The four Wolverines were competing for the United States in the Junior World Cup Under-21 tournament.

In four games as a starter this year, Johnson has recorded four assists, including one on each of Michigan's goals against top-ranked North Carolina last Sunday.

As they gear up for the Big Ten season, the Wolverines need Johnson to continue to do what she has been doing for the last year and a half.

"She's aggressive, she's smart and she's poised," Pankratz said. "Shelly's work ethic is great and she sets a great example."

Sometimes things don't work out exactly as planned.

Sometimes they work out even better.

09-10-97