Walking Tall

Women's Basketball, Aug 2004 by Boyko, Lara

Hard work and determination are cornerstones of Olympian Pee Wee Johnson's game.

It's early June, the WNBA season is just a month old, the Olympic Games are two months away and Shannon "Pee Wee" Johnson is sick with the flu.

Johnson, a 57" guard and team captain in her first season with the San Antonio Silver Stars, is trying to nurse herself back to good health so she doesn't miss any of the opportunities she has created for herself because of basketball.

"Volleyball was my first love, but I started playing basketball in the seventh grade and tried out mainly because all of my friends were also trying out," said Johnson, in her sixth WNBA season after a five-year stint with the Orlando-Connecticut franchise. "Ever since, I picked up playing this sport, it has been a blessing and answered so many prayers."

Along with having her prayers answered because of basketball, Johnson, who was given her nickname by her Volleyball coach in the sixth grade, has also had a guardian angel to help her along the way.

"Pat Hewitt came into my life as my high school coach and has been very influential ever since," said Johnson. "She is one of the people who has stood beside me and encouraged me from the beginning by letting me know basketball would open up a lot of doors for me. She is the person I am going to take with me to the Olympics this summer."

For this second oldest child in a family with six kids who all have names that being with the letter 1S/some of the doors that have opened up included playing overseas in Spain, Turkey and during this past off-season, Russia.

" It was a great opportunity to play in Moscow during the off-season. I had a really good time there," said Johnson, a four-time WNBA All-Star selection. "It was good for me to see a different culture and after having heard some negative things about Russian people, the opportunity to go and live in their world (including their snow) was great. I enjoyed playing in Spain the most. The food is better (her favorite dish is paella), the people are nicer and it was a great opportunity for me."

Johnson, who will turn 30 on August 18 and wears a size 9 men's shoe, is not finished creating these opportunities to compete overseas. Instead she is preparing to compete in the most prestigious international sporting event in the world-the 2004 Olympics.

"It means the world to me and my family because they know what I have been through," said Johnson, who also won a pair of championships with Columbus in the defunct ABL. "They know how hard I have worked and given me so much support knowing that I am going to Greece not only to represent my country, but also my family."

Before she gets too excited about her opportunity to win a gold medal, she understands her responsibility to be healthy for the Silver Stars.

"I'm very excited about being here," said Johnson. "I walk into every situation with my head up and with high expectations. It's been great to go into the situation here where the coach knows who I am and did what he had to do to get me here. I respect that so I try to go out and play like they know I can ever single night."