Hard work pays off for Johnson, Durango

Nick Christensen

Thursday, Oct. 2, 2003 | 10:19 a.m.

When Kelsey Johnson came to Durango High two years ago, her volleyball game needed help.

"She's a totally different player now," said Durango coach Bob Kelly, whom Johnson credits with her improvement. "When she first came, she didn't understand the role of the outside hitter. In the last year and a half, she's grown tremendously."

Johnson said she came to Durango after having practice conflicts with Palo Verde. She'd played on a club team with Kelly, and knew of his reputation as a good coach.

"Coach Kelly's just a great coach," Johnson says. "We've worked on the number of sets, worked on my footwork, and it's good to be working with one of the best setters in the nation. I get great sets."

Last year, Johnson set the state mark for number of kills. This season, she's recorded 382 kills with a .550 kill percentage in Durango's 27 games.

The Blazers are 8-1 this season. Their one loss came last month at the hands of Santa Ana, Calif.'s Mater Dei High School, ranked first in the CIF Division II-A poll.

Durango setter Amy Schlauder is regarded as at least as talented as Johnson, but the high-power Johnson provides the spark to the Durango offense.

As one spectator remarked of Johnson's spikes at Durango's win over Bonanza on Tuesday, "If I saw that coming towards me over the net, I'd be scared." Johnson also recorded six service aces Tuesday, with a streak of five in a row in the first game. She's logged 90 this season.

The challenge for Johnson this season is adding on back-row responsibilities, meaning she will have to pick up her defense to go along with her strong hitting. Johnson said she tries to envision scenarios to prepare for defensive efforts.

She recorded 14 digs Tuesday.

"This is a very mental game, so I do a lot of visualizing," she said.

Kelly already notices an upgrade in Johnson's defense.

"Her back row skills have improved tremendously," Kelly said. "She did a lot of strength training to improve her athletic ability. She's strong and durable, and can carry the team and not get tired."

Her work, especially during club season, has caught the eye of several NCAA programs. Rice, William and Mary, Boston College, Miami, and North Carolina are all actively recruiting the senior. She expects to decide on a college later in October.

"I think right now, she's playing the best volleyball she's ever played," Kelly said. "She's working hard to understand how to be an outside hitter. She's learning different arm swings, different locations, and how to hit the ball at different angles."

Johnson's improvement has also helped her teammates' confidence.

"By playing consistently, her teammates can rely on her to be successful," Kelly said. "They can continue to play without putting pressure on themselves."

Even with opponents knowing who the focal point of the team is going to be, Johnson continues to give opponents fits. Even in their four-game loss to Mater Dei, Johnson and Durango held tough.

"We played some of the top teams in the U.S., (and) no team was able to stop Kelsey," Kelly said. "That's how much confidence we have in that aspect of our game. Our other players feel they can go out and be aggressive. That's what I've been emphasizing, to be aggressive."

"She's been tremendous, it's been a vertical improvement for her," added Kelly. "And give her credit, because she's a good student of the game, with a good work ethic and she's serious about what she's doing."

Even with all the effort and dedication, Johnson said she's not worried about any burnout.

"I've been enjoying this more and more," Johnson said. "I love the sport, and I don't think I'll ever get sick of playing."