Johnson goes from intramurals to contributor for Air Force women's basketball

The beauty of freshman Angela Johnson’s contribution to Air Force women’s basketball team is she came to the academy never dreaming she would play for the Falcons.  

When coach Andrea Williams summons her to check into games, and reminds her politely that she is going in to play defense and rebound and probably shouldn’t shoot anything longer than a layup, Johnson finds no reason to complain.

Johnson figured her career was finished after high school and three major knee injuries, so she isn’t about to quibble over her role.

“I never thought I’d be playing on a team again, let alone Division I,” Johnson said.

Air Force cadets have to participate in intramural sports, if they are not involved in intercollegiate athletics. Johnson was a basketball player in high school, so she decided to play intramural hoops.

“It was just having a good time,” Johnson said of playing intramural basketball. “It was a good feeling.”

Williams said this is the first year she and her staff could watch intramurals, and when Williams watched during basic training, Johnson stood out right away.

“I was like, OK, she seems pretty athletic,” Williams said.

Williams invited Johnson to work out with her team. Nothing glamorous, mostly offseason weightlifting and conditioning, but Johnson wasn’t going to say no.

“To even be asked to work out with the team was exciting,” said Johnson, who is from San Antonio.

She had suffered three torn ACL injuries in high school. Two were to her right knee and one to her left knee. One happened before her freshman year, another at the end of her sophomore year, and the last one in the summer going into her senior year, playing AAU ball. She returned for the playoffs her senior year, which was supposed to be her crowning basketball achievement. She once had schools like Rice contacting her about playing for them – that all stopped as the knee injuries piled up.

But last September she was working out with the Falcons, with the physical conditioning gear all cadets have. When she came into the locker room one day and was presented with women’s basketball practice gear – Williams said she earned that through her hard work with the team – that was a highlight. Johnson said she was “really excited” to simply get practice gear like the other players.  

The weeks that followed are a bit of a blur. She got a locker. Then, with injuries piling up for the Falcons, she was asked to dress for home games. Johnson played for the first time on Jan. 5 against North Dakota. She was promoted to be part of the traveling team this semester. More and more, Williams trusts her off the bench to guard the post and rebound.

“She’s one of my first post subs I go to just for that tenacity, energy and just competitiveness,” Williams said. “I think that’s what we’re missing in some of the others. You can see it in her eyes – she’s ready to give it her all.”

Johnson played 18 minutes at New Mexico on Jan. 31, and matched that in Air Force’s last game Saturday against Colorado State. She has just one basket and four free throws in her nine games, but that’s fine. She knows her role, and she is just a freshman. She could see a larger role as her career progresses.

Johnson’s story is unique, considering there aren’t many true walk-on players at Air Force, which doesn’t use athletic scholarships like civilian schools. To break into a roster as a virtual unknown is not common.

“It’s been one huge blessing after another after another,” Johnson said.

Contact Frank Schwab: 476-4891

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