Young athlete experiences Olympics opportunity

Every so often in a young athlete's life, he or she is given an opportunity beyond what they had ever hoped for.

Rachel Johnson has experienced that opportunity.

Rachel, 14, has been playing volleyball since third grade, and this past month as a member of the Northern California
Volleyball Club out of Rocklin, she and her teammates were given a chance to participate in the Junior Olympics.

"It was so exhilarating to win the bid and towards the end the game was neckandneck," Rachel said. "In the end we
had such mixed emotions."

The only one of 130 14-year old teams nationwide to qualify, Rachel's team beat out 150 other regional teams in Reno, Nev., to take second place in a tournament and snag a spot in the Olympics.

This 5-foot, 10-inch young lady, who will be entering the ninth grade this year at Wheatland High School, had to
challenge herself even to be admitted onto the local Rocklin team, which only accepts 11 of the best players.

Once there, she found herself among the best in the region, all playing for a common goal - to make it to the Junior Olympics in Dallas, Texas.

"It's an accomplishment in and of itself for her to even make it onto one of six power leagues in the region," said
Jay Johnson, Rachel's dad.

Once there, Rachel and her teammates went up against some of the best in the nation and while they didn't medal, the girls came in 30th out of 130 total teams, ranking their team within the top 25 percent throughout the nation.

The Plumas Lake teen loves volleyball for "the strategy of it all, having to think to win, working as a team and making new friends along the way."

And even with the Junior Olympics behind her, it is these qualities about the game that has Rachel excited about the
future and what her career on the court might hold.

"I plan to stay in the same club this upcoming year and trying out for the 15-year-old team," she said. "There is only one, so the competition will be tough. I also plan to play during high school."

Plumas Lake correspondent Michele Perrault can be reached at 483-3664 or email her at mperrault@plumaslakelife.com.