Injury Inspires Bridget Johnson To Earn Athletic Scholarship; Sparkman Two-Sport Athlete To Play Basketball In College

HARVEST- As a freshman athlete at Sparkman High, Bridget Johnson suffered a torn MCL and went through extensive physical therapy during rehabilitation and that experience opened her eyes and thought process of what she would one day like to earn an education and become a physical therapist.

This month she took one step closer to that dream by signing a basketball scholarship to play for the Eagles of Faulkner University located in Montgomery. While playing for the Southern States Athletic Conference program, Johnson will study biology and move towards earning a degree in physical therapy. She will carry a 4.33 grade point average to college.

“I knew one day I wanted to be a physical therapist as during my experience of my injury I saw what a great environment physical therapy can be and how I could help others in similar situations as mine,” said Johnson, daughter to Jeff and Carly Johnson.

A one-time dancer for 12 years, Johnson also played basketball and softball and has played both sports for the Senators. In softball, she is a starting outfielder for the fifteenth ranked team in Class 7A as the Senators enter the post-season playoffs. For the Sparkman basketball squad in the 2020-2021 season, the 5-foot-10, 160-pound Johnson scored 3.1 points and pulled down 4.5 rebounds per game.

As a young girl she took up basketball at age four and basketball two years later. She said she was heavily into dance for a dozen years before sports took over.

“During the COVID-summer last year I joined a good AAU team and the coaches at Faulkner knew the AAU coaches and they soon found out about me,” said Johnson. “I know it’s a big step to college, but I knew I wasn’t done in high school and I prepared for and I’m ready to take on the challenge.”