July 2, 2014
SAN DIEGO -
Chloe Johnson is a guard for the San Diego State women's basketball team. A native of Phoenix, Arizona, Johnson was one of three Aztecs to play all 30 games this past season, earning a start on 14 occasions. Johnson had a season-high 13 points in the Aztecs game against Utah State on Feb. 19, 2014, including a 3-for-5 clip from three-point range. The rising sophomore sat down recently to talk about her game, the team and life as a student-athlete.
Describe your game. Can you assess your strengths and areas to work on?
I would have to say that I am a very energetic player. My goal is to come out and play every game with energy, heart and a strength that can't be matched. One of my greatest attributes is in my ability to be a good teammate, which plays into one of my strong suites of being a vocal influence and something I hope to expand on this year. On the court I strive to be poised with the ball, but I must admit I get a little antsy sometimes and go for the home run as opposed to the base hit or in basketball terms the easy pass. I have some decent body control coming through the lane and with some improved footwork and ball handling coming off the screen, I will definitely be entering into some uncharted territory of my game.
This will be your second season working with Coach Terry and her staff. What has been the biggest improvement in your game since Coach Terry arrived last summer?
Over the course of my freshman year I've improved on the court as a basketball player, but my biggest improvement under Coach Terry would have to be something more than physical skill, my mental skill. Coach Terry and her staff have helped me in improving something that is very important to the game of basketball, but not only that beyond the game mental toughness is something that will last a life time. My focus, attitude, communication skills, and most importantly my thoughts are improving and growing every day.
How does a young woman from Phoenix make the adjustment to San Diego?
Being a young lady from the obviously sunny summer paradise of Phoenix, Arizona, I know it's easy for you to see why it was so hard for me to adjust to the San Diego weather. Yet, I have to admit it took some time to get used to the 80 degrees and sunny with 100% slighter chance of burn than my home state of Arizona. No, but seriously the adjustment to San Diego was truly an easy one for me. I love the weather and would not take back the decision of spending my college years here for anything, San Diego is one beautiful place.
Do you have a favorite place to visit in San Diego?
It would be easy to say the cliché San Diegan thing of choosing the beach or something related to it as my favorite place to visit, but being the foodie that I am it's only right to choose a restaurant. I love Mexican food and one of the best restaurants to find it in San Diego has to be Cafe Coyote in Old Town hands down. Coach (Ciara) Carl introduced me to it and told me how it was her favorite place when she was in college and without noticing she definitely passed it right on down to me.
What do you love about San Diego State? Where is your favorite hangout on campus between classes and practice?
One of my greatest loves of San Diego State is definitely the student body. The people are so interesting, diverse, and welcoming. Beyond my athlete friends, I have had the pleasure to meet and befriend students that don't live the same demanding life that I do and are truly different from me. Having a conversation that isn't about conditioning and practice can be refreshing sometimes. Between classes one of my favorite things to do is head to the student union. Depending on the span of free time, I can grab a bite to eat at The Habit or Chipotle, but if I have a sizable amount of time I can maybe get in a quick game of bowling at Aztec Lanes. I have to keep my skills sharp in order to keep beating Coach Terry the way I do.
What other interests or hobbies do you have?
If you catch me on campus or walking around Fowler Athletic Center, I most likely will be in sweatpants or basketball shorts with a nice SDSU t-shirt on, but that says nothing about what my most free-time consuming hobby is. Outside of basketball I am truly a typical girl in the sense that I enjoy most of my extra minutes SHOPPING! Shoes, jackets, hats, shirts and let's not forget my true love jeans. I spend the majority of the time I'm not touching a basketball or doing school work, surfing the web looking for new clothes or trying to find someone to come to the mall with me to look for something to add to the wardrobe.
Superstitions are different for every player, what are some of yours prior to a game?
If you would ask any of my teammates, they would probably say I am one of the most superstitious people in the world. I can't see someone I'm walking with split a pole without almost having a heart attack or making a spectacle. I am the absolute same way when it comes to game day superstitions or rituals. I have two major things that have been pretty much imbedded in my pre-game since high school. One, I must shower before the start of every game. Not just the typical start of the day shower, but a shower that is as close to the moment I have to be on the court as I can get it. Secondly, I have to do absolutely everything left to right. I have to put on my left sock before my right, I have to tie my left shoe before my right, I even get so bad to the point where I have to touch things with my left hand before I can touch it with my right. It's bizarre I know.
What advice would you give to a high school student looking to be a college athlete?
Two words: TIME MANAGEMENT! I wish I would have realized the value of these two words a bit earlier than I did. Being productive with your time is about the most important thing any college athlete or better yet college student could pass on. College is truly a very difficult situation and if you don't use your time wisely you will surely find yourself in a bind that you don't want to be in. School, sports, and having a social life are all difficult things to juggle at once but if you learn to manage your time wisely, it will all be beneficial in making life that much easier.
What has been the most rewarding part of being a member of the Aztec Basketball family here at SDSU?
The most rewarding part about being a part of the Aztec basketball family is just that, being a family. Even though sometimes I feel like I have four moms, an extra dad (Coach Clark of course), and a band of sisters that I wouldn't mind going a day or two without seeing, I wouldn't change my situation for all the riches in the world.