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That little girl with the blonde hair braided down her back? She’ll break your ankles with her crossover dribble. Yes. The girl wearing 44. You go up for a rebound against her, you’ll catch an elbow.
Journie Johnson is a fighter on the basketball court. The 10-year-old just capped off a successful summer of AAU basketball with a world championship. And she’s hungry for more. As a member of IGB (Indiana Girls Basketball) Shade, she traveled across the Midwest and eventually to Orlando, Fla., picking up medals along the way. She even got a championship ring that rivals the ones awarded to Super Bowl champs.
Off the court, she’s just like any other 4th grader at Western Intermediate School. On the court, she’s driven to be something more.
“I started with Prime Time at the Pacers Athletic Center in Westfield,” said Journie. “That was when I started competitive ball. I’ve played since I was 5. I like running up and down the court, and I like to play the wing. But usually I play center. The best part is when you make a shot.”
According to Journie’s dad, John Johnson, the family realized early on that Journie had some natural talent.
“As a dad, you always think your kid has talent,” said Johnson. “But, at a young age, you could tell she was aggressive. When she played at the YMCA, she’d get in there and bump with the boys and get rough. Sometimes, a little too rough. And she improved.
“Eventually, we realized that she needed to face some tougher competition. For girls, it can be hard to find competition. So, we started travel ball out of Westfield. You get to know people, see people. And that got her the chance to try out for some teams.”
Journie went through several try-outs this spring and received many offers. The offer from IGB, however, was a bit unexpected. The organization fields multiple teams in each age bracket, and Journie was offered a spot on IGB Shade.
“IGB picked her up and put her on Shade, which is the best team they have at her age group,” said Johnson. “It was a shock to us. We knew she was pretty good, but that was a surprise. When we told people what team picked her, they’d ask, ‘Are you sure? IGB Shade is the reigning world champ.’”
Making the team was an accomplishment, but it didn’t mean Journie would be handed playing time. In fact, she rode the bench at first.
“At the beginning, I didn’t get to play a lot,” said Journie. “But by the end of the season I got into more games because I put in the work to get there. My coaches liked my aggressiveness and my rebounding.”
“Nothing was given to her,” added Johnson. “She started the season on the bench. Watching a few games from the sidelines motivated her. She worked to improve her game, and by the end of the year she was able to help the team.”
Journie worked her way into a role as the first player off the bench, filling in as a forward or center. By the time, the team reached the AAU Nationals in Knoxville, Tenn., she was ready to shine. The championship game was her best, with 12 points and too many rebounds to count, and also her biggest challenge. She was credited by the coaches as the sparkplug that led the team to the win.
“The toughest game was in Knoxville, the national championship against Kentucky Premier,” said Journie. “My team helped me a lot to get my points, and I tried to help them get their points, too.”
According to Johnson, it was the third time Shade had faced the team. Shade won all three meetings, but it was a fight every time.
“I guess they were their archrivals,” said Johnson.
Journie also was a key contributor in IGB Shade’s run to a second world championship in Orlando. She credits her growth and success to her coaches -- Matt Shade, Alissa Hankee, and Will Webster – and her teammates.
“They really help me with my game, and they motivate me to get better,” said Journie. “They’re good coaches. I love my team. I love my teammates. Our teamwork is what won every game.”
The experience cemented Journie’s desire to play basketball at the highest levels. Though she’s still in grade school, she has her sights set on a Division I career at Notre Dame.
Johnson was worried that perhaps he and her family had pushed her into this, but Journie put those worries to rest.
“I ask her a lot what she wants out of this,” said Johnson. “Of course, as her dad, I want the whole world for her. But I don’t want to put that on her or force her. The good thing about Journie is she is doing what she wants. Ask her any day of the week, she’ll tell you she wants to play basketball.
“Now she wants to put in time on the court outside of practice. We train at the park. She’s doing Crossfit and weight training. She works her butt off, and now she has to maintain her grades. She’s been an A student to this point, and that can’t change just because of basketball.”
Given the girl’s determination, Journie’s journey to success is well underway.