FHS junior and longtime athlete Ada Johnson has been playing for the girls’ varsity basketball team for three years and is a very strong player. The same can be said for water polo and track and field, which Johnson also participates in. Johnson can be seen as a great example of a versatile athlete. Ever since she was a little kid, she has been very involved in sports.
“[It was] my parents, because they put me in sports camps when I was younger,” Johnson said.
At the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, Johnson played for the girls’ water polo team. She said it was a fun sport, but also very tiring.
“I think that water polo is a very competitive sport,” Johnson said. “It takes up a lot of energy.”
Johnson feels that she has been in a state of improvement year after year for each of these sports.
“I’ve evolved from always working on my drills, but mostly on my shooting ability,” Johnson said.
As a player on the basketball team, Johnson must work with others on things such as keeping up with a fast-paced game. There are at least four eight-minute quarters in a high school basketball game.
“[It is] very tactical,” Johnson said. “You play with precision; it is, like most things, earned with practice. It’s fun. Working with others builds character.”
Basketball players have to be selfless and stay focused under pressure. A basketball player with good character is also a player who is passionate and accountable.
“Ada’s a very strong, muscular and kind human being and friend and teammate on and off the basketball court,” FHS junior and varsity basketball player Mia Sun said. “She’s always selfless at the core. She’s like a giant with a big heart.”
Throughout the season, the basketball team continues to grow with each game.
“I look up to Ada,” Sun said. “In the game, [I see her as] the tallest, most strongest, most fierce. She inspires me not only to be strong but to push through the hard work.”
Since starting to play for FHS, Johnson has learned to adapt to different coaching styles over the years. She played at both her elementary and middle schools.
“I would say different teams and coaches each come with different styles of playing and overall players, it definitely changes […] the way you play,” Johnson said.
There are positives and negatives that can be said about each team, Johnson explains.
“There have been many positive factors, for instance, support by coaches and teammates and friends,” Johnson said. “They have helped me stay motivated and impacted my skills. The hardest part has mostly been balancing school and work and practices. Sometimes it makes it difficult to stay consistent.”
This season’s girls basketball team record is 9-10 as of Thursday Jan. 29.
“Ada inspires not only me but I believe the rest of the team,” Sun said. “But in general she’s a really great friend.”
Johnson continues to spend her time balancing her multiple sports and demanding practices with school. She continues to stand out on the FHS girls basketball team for her physical ability, her plays, teamwork with others and her dedication on and off the court.
