COLUMBUS — Columbus Christian Academy celebrated an opportunity at the next level for one of its own on Thursday. Avery Johnston committed to playing softball at Mississippi University for Women, allowing her to continue playing the sport she loves while pursuing a career in speech and language pathology.
Johnston features for Rams basketball and softball teams
“This is a big moment for our school and for Avery,” girls basketball head coach Billy Thomas said. “Athletes who get a chance to do this, you see them on the diamond or their field of choice, but you don’t often see the hard work that goes into getting to this point. It’s cool to see all the hard work she’s put into it and see a dream come to life.”
Johnston found her place in athletics after moving to the academy midway through her high school career, and in softball found an opportunity to further her passions beyond high school.
“I moved to CCA two years ago and I was excited for the opportunity. Taylor Palmer, a player at The W, was our assistant coach and told me about the camps they hold. The coach liked what they saw, invited me back for a visit and it all just went from there.”
Johnston’s decision came down to distance and academics as well. The appeal of staying close to home was boosted by the strong program in her field of study.
“Family has always been really important to me, and I wanted to work on speech and language pathology as well,” Johnston said of her decision to go to The W. “I had some offers from junior colleges but I knew I would end up at the W eventually anyway, so I just decided to cut out the middleman and start out there.”
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