Liam Hamm is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Gilbert Classical Academy for AZPreps365.com

In a volleyball program filled to the brim with talented people, it’s likely that some people don’t get the spotlight nearly enough for the amount of work they do.

Carol Johnson, third-year assistant varsity coach at Gibert Classical Academy and a mother of two children, is one of these people. 

Johnson is the kind of coach you can go to when your life is overwhelming. She’s the person who would notice a player who has a job and recognize how difficult it is to balance everything.

Her contributions to the volleyball program cannot be understated. She reviews films of previous games to map out the opposing team’s strategy, stays late after practice so that some of the team can run strength and conditioning drills after practice, and whatever else the team needs.

Before GCA, Johnson coached one year at Chandler Prep where she was actively teaching volleyball to first-time players while also putting together a competitive team and spent her next season at Arizona College Prep coaching the freshman team and the JV team for half of every practice. 

“I can say she is definitely the glue that holds this varsity team together, she’s constantly scouting our opponents and making sure the girls know exactly what spots to hit and target areas while making sure they’re having fun,” junior varsity coach Sammi Spellman said. “As a coach she’s determined to help the girls get to their best abilities and make sure they’re staying happy, healthy, positive, and just everything you would want in a coach.

"As for a person, she’s just down right amazing down to earth and still wants the best for everyone."

Johnson has an innate ability to put herself in the shoes of her student-athletes and empathize with the sheer course load these students handle. 

“I do have an appreciation for what these girls are going through,” Johnson said about the difficult school work and the on-court efforts of the student-athletes. 

She loves sports and she proves it through her actions. Once during a rec league softball game, she tore her rotator cuff fielding a hit and still found the wherewithal to get the batter out and, eventually, finish the game. 

Another time, she broke her foot and still played catcher in a softball game, which caused her to break another bone.

During her career, she played at Phoenix College, then started coaching there as an assistant for five years before stepping away to finish her degree and have a family.

Johnson is a proud mother of two boys, John-David (JD) and Michael, both of whom are academically gifted students. Michael was recently awarded the National Hispanic Recognition award for his efforts and will attend the University of Arizona on a full scholarship. 

When she asked JD why he and his brother weren’t into sports, he said, “Mom, you took the competitiveness for the whole family.”

JD and Michael attended advanced education high school programs, similar to GCA, and their mother had a strong message for them throughout their childhood and into the future.

 “Whatever you choose to do for the rest of your life, make sure that you enjoy it because the day you stop enjoying that and you still have to work every day, it becomes a job," she said.