PRO-file
By Alice Tym
Behind the Scenes with Pro
JULIE
JOHNSON
Age : 51 Hometown : Boynton Beach , Florida
Marital status : Married to Jack Johnson Children : JW and Jorja Skill level : Senior Pro
Favorite tournament : The one she wins .
What do you consider to be your biggest weapon ? My forehand drive .
Where did you acquire your skills ? I have a recreational tennis background . My husband was a college tennis player .
Are you a driller or a practice match player ? I love playing practice matches , but I do drill .
What do you consider the most important mental characteristic for pickleball ? To be able to focus . There is a lot going on in pickleball . There is a carnival atmosphere , just chaos .
What age do you suggest a person should start pickleball ? I started at 46 . If you want to put in the time and are willing to get beat , you can get out there and learn the basics of court position and shot selection .
Your two children are outstanding players . What does a mom need to know to coach her kids ? When to back off . JW did the tennis grind . Now he is having fun playing pickleball . We are having a tremendous time as a family .
What would help the sport of pickleball ? It needs to be more cohesive at the top level .
What do you see on the pickleball horizon ? Lots of people have done a good job to try to get it into the Los Angeles Olympics . There needs to be an influx of talent ; we need more pro players . Seymour Rifkind has been a real driving force . I don ’ t see an academy for another 5-10 years . We have not seen a pure pickleball kid yet .
Who is your favorite athlete to watch ? Patrick Mahomes . He is such a little spark plug and a team player . He got me when he brought his mom to an award ceremony .
How do you deal with pressure ? It is an ongoing day-today process . Signing with a paddle company helped .
Do you believe children follow what you say , or do they observe and follow what you do ? One hundred percent what you do . My kids watched what we did .
Who is your favorite role model mother ? Kevin Durant ’ s mom . He thanked her in his MVP acceptance speech and said that his mom is the real MVP . Also , Patty Jenee from Columbus , Kansas . She is a good friend from back home .
What do you cook for the family ? We don ’ t eat dairy , and we eat gluten free because of allergies . We eat a lot of fruits and vegetables . JW likes pasta . Jorja eats poke bowls with Hawaiian raw fish .
At what age did you recognize that your kids had athletic talent ? When JW was 6 months old , Jack gave him a helium balloon and a fly swatter . When JW was 10 months old , Jack hung a whiffle ball from a ceiling fan and gave him a table tennis paddle . Jack and I are athletes , so we expected it .
Do you believe in having an outside coach ? Absolutely . The most important thing is that I am their mother . They can come to me anytime , all the time . It is also good to have somebody care about them besides their parents .
What is your favorite aisle in the supermarket ? The coffee aisle . •