We are profiling each member of the 2012-13 Creighton women’s basketball team. Join us weekdays leading up to the regular season tip-off against Oklahoma (November 10) for an introduction to this year’s Bluejays, from freshmen to seniors.
Johnson suffered a knee injury in the offseason (Spomer/WBR)
Last season, Taylor Johnson came in as a freshman and was the sixth woman off the bench for Jim Flanery and the Creighton Bluejays women’s basketball team. Her 13 minutes and 5 points a game prepared her for her sophomore season. Unfortunately though, Johnson will be watching from the sidelines in 2012-13.
During the offseason, Johnson tore her knee in a non-contact drill and had to have surgery. She won’t play this season. Sitting on the sidelines is not something Johnson is used to.
“It’s really tough,” she said. “The first month, month and a half was really hard. I didn’t know what to do. I had not had the surgery yet and knowing that the whole season was done, it was kind of upsetting.”
Her injury seemed almost like a freak accident and she explained in a little more detail on how it happened.
“It was July during a practice. I was doing a one-on-one drill. It was non-contact. I planted and tried to stop for a jumper and my knee gave out and it was two pops.”
Being injured doesn’t take her away from being with the team.
“I’m with them everywhere,” Johnson said. “We are doing community service, lifting weights, and at practice. I’m still with them; I’m just not on the court playing.”
One thing Johnson can do this season is help her freshmen teammates adjust to Division I hoops like she did last season.
“I love our freshmen. I tell them the inside scoop on our players and what they like to do. I tell them what they need to be ready for whether it will be a hard or easy practice. I just try to help them out wherever I can,” she said.
Being supportive of her teammates, there is some excitement in the air about the opportunities the Bluejays could have this season a year older.
“We have really high expectations for ourselves. We did well last year and we are expected to do the same. We only lost one player. I’m excited to watch them do well, because we are looking good so far.”
Johnson is hoping her time table is around March to start doing a few more things including practicing with the team, maybe. She has just started doing some elliptical and leg presses. The trainers are being really careful from coming back too soon. “It is just a waiting game. It is absolutely hard,” she said.
Cheer on the sidelines and in the stands when Creighton women’s basketball hits the court next Wednesday night for some Halloween Madness.