South Central Iowa Female Athlete of the Year: Alyssa Johnson pushed toward perfection

MOUNT AYR – It didn’t take long for Alyssa Johnson to be noticed by numerous Mount Ayr coaches as an extraordinary talent, but it was the 2018 South Central Iowa Female Athlete of the Year’s drive that will stick in their minds.

The three-sport star in volleyball, track and field and softball was introduced to the varsity stage before she had even taken her first class at Mount Ayr Community High School.

As an eighth-grade catcher she instantly made an impression, finishing the year with the fourth-best batting average (.312) on the roster and taking the third-most at-bats (77).

Her batting average didn’t improve much over the next few seasons and softball coach Bret Ruggles could see the apprehension in her swing. He suggested a change to get out from behind the plate.

A quiet leader, Johnson took the move in stride, taking some reps at second base before finding a home in center field for her senior season, where she utilized her quickness.

“We needed that ability, as a captain role, overtaking the outfield … I was very happy that she said, ‘If it helps the team, fine.’” Ruggles said. “That was another senior leadership thing she realized. The team was going to be better if this situation hits.”

With much natural athleticism and a strong work ethic, it took Johnson just a few games to adjust to the position.

And it is that same mentality, determination and steadfastness that her other coaches will mention first when they hear her name.

As a varsity volleyball starter her first game of her freshman year, head coach Tori Braby knew she was asking a lot of a young player who had already showed promise in junior high.

Once she starting practicing with the team, the Raiderette volleyball coach gave her a weighted ball and Johnson got to work perfecting her setting ability.

“She took a ball home right away and by that first practice I knew she was going to start. Then she pretty much worked and got better every single year,” said Braby.

If she broke onto the scene fast, her leadership skills showed up faster as she was named captain for the next three seasons.

The awards followed as Johnson picked up three all-Pride of Iowa first-team honors, two all-districts nods and holds the record for the most assists (1,553) in a career under Braby.

The dedication to improvement was obvious and there were plenty of instances, not only in volleyball, where the drive to get better overpowered the need for an added push from a coach.

As a track and field athlete, Johnson competed at the state track meet all four years in high school and each year seemed to find a new event she would qualify in.

Her first season, Johnson got to run with her older sister Ashton in the shuttle hurdle relay, taking fifth place in the state.

“That was one of the more standout moments in my career because it’s something you get to share with her forever,” said Johnson.

The 100 meter hurdles quickly became her specialty, as she raced at the state meet at Drake University all four times, eventually placing seventh her junior year.

Johnson also holds the school record in the 100 meter hurdles in a time of 16.11.

Once again, the work ethic was apparent to those watching.

“She was not always confident, but she was able to perform at a high level due to her persistence and attention to detail in practice,” said track and field coach Deb Larsen. “I appreciated that about Alyssa. She was willing to put in extra time in the offseason to make herself a physically stronger athlete.”

Nothing about that characteristic differed from sport to sport.

Gaining confidence

Even with the successes from an early age, Johnson pushed herself to continually improve.

When mistakes were made, coaches were quick to notice that Johnson was instantly and tirelessly taking more repetitions to iron out the kinks.

“I’m a really competitive person. I like to win so I try to do whatever I can to ensure that,” said Johnson.

Her coaches noticed how serious she was about each drill while also noting how hard she seemed to be on herself.

At volleyball practice, Braby vividly remembered Johnson’s responses to making mistakes, even before Braby could hint at advice.

“She would just turn around and look at you and says, ‘I’ll fix it,’” said Braby. “I think that’s one thing that stands out about her is no matter what, she would look at you and say ‘I’ll fix it’ and you’d never have to say anything to her and that’s one thing I really liked about her.”

On the track she was the same way, repeating drills until the correct technique was ingrained. Even with four state berths in the 100 meter hurdles and college on the horizon, Johnson still thinks about ways to fix her technique.

“I liked 100 hurdles. That was pretty much my event, my go-to. This year I was trying to three-step and never really got that down,” said Johnson. “So that was frustrating, so I kind of wish I could go back and master that.”

Ruggles noted that disappointment after a 2-for-5 night at the plate wasn’t unusual early in her career and always looked to remind his younger hitter that softball is a game of imperfection.

“Sometimes I think she puts a little too much expectation on herself,” Ruggles said. “This year when she came in you noticed her mentality more ... I think her mentality changed. I think she was a lot more aggressive. I think she was a lot more confident in what she was doing.”

A .434 batting average, a .575 slugging percentage and a third-team all-state selection showed just how far a few mechanical adjustments, a position change and added confidence went.

College pursuits

As of the printing of this edition, Johnson will be moving into her dorm room on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames.

Though she doesn’t plan to compete in any varsity sports, she’s not quite getting out of the athletic field.

Physical therapy is the college freshman’s newest pursuit, one that will no doubt throw its challenges her way.

Four years of studying the human body will likely result in grad school, but Johnson is excited by the task.

“I just kind of like the progress that you see in physical therapy. I don’t want to sit in an office job all day. I want to stand up and be active. So with that I can see a bunch of different patients and different types of people,” said Johnson.

With the drive Johnson has shown through high school, it seems only fitting that a future career involves helping others reach their fullest potential.