Freshman sprinter Sam Johnson II is on the UTRGV Men’s Track and Field Team. Johnson graduated from Klein High School in Klein, a community north of Houston, where he built his track career until he won bronze at the 2022 Class 6A Track & Field State Championships. Johnson is pursuing a bachelor’s in business.
Q: What are some of your favorite foods?
A: “I try to stay on the healthier side, try to have a balanced meal. So, I’ll try, like, salmon, and then I’ll have greens like asparagus, or green beans with that, and mashed potatoes. I try to stay on that or, like, grilled chicken. I like to balance out my meals a lot. Rice, too. Rice, too.”
Q:What does a normal day look like for you?
A: “Uh, a normal day, is kinda, like, in the mornings I go to class, and then, a bit earlier around 12, I go to the training room, get treatment, and then come to practice for a couple hours. And after that, I head to the weight room, and then I go to study hall a little bit after to get some homework done.”
Q: When you first started, how hard was it to balance your sport, your academics and your social life?
A: “It was a little rough at first, but I feel, like, once I got started getting in the flow of things, I transitioned well.”
Q: Who or what motivates you to keep playing?
A: “I’m very determined and motivated. And also, back at home, my mom, she ran track in college, so she’s someone I look up to.”
Q: What do you like most about playing for UTRGV?
A: “I definitely like our team dynamics. … We really [have] become a family in general, and so I just like how we will spend time with each other, even outside of track too. … So, we’re very close-knit, and of course, I love coach [Shareese] Hicks. … She coaches me, and just leads me in the right direction so I can be the best [athlete] possible.”
Q: Is there anything you’d like to say to the good people at home?
A: “Just that I love and I appreciate everybody, and, yeah, that’s about it.”
–Compiled by Julien Juarez
