ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Noah Johnson

Foundation Academy junior Noah Johnson placed second in the state in Class 1A in boys shot put May 6 with a record of 53-1, having added two feet to record his new personal best.

Tell me what was going through your mind when you stepped up and got ready to throw at the state meet.

You’d think it would be something deep and profound, like it had to be perfect, but really it’s just “Don’t mess up, don’t screw it up.” I just kind of zone out. I was completely zoned out.

What do you enjoy most about shot put?

It’s fun, and if you lose, it’s not someone else’s fault. No one else can lose it for you; you either do what you’re supposed to do or you don’t, and that’s it.

What part of it challenges you the most?

Probably getting the form right, because it takes a while and you have to keep doing it and you don’t feel like you’re getting anywhere. And all of a sudden, one day, it just sort of clicks. Then it’s like an extra three or four feet on your throw, and then you do it over and over again.

What are your plans for after high school?

I’m going to try to get a shot put scholarship to an engineering school. … I’m looking into Rensselaer, Georgia Tech, Cornell and Cal Berkeley.

Do you have a favorite quote or song lyric?

My favorite quote is something I found on the Internet. It’s “The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me.” I thought it was inspirational. People can tell you that you can’t do something, but unless they’re actually going to try to stop you, it does not matter.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Probably somewhere in Africa, because in school, you never really learn anything about it. 

What’s your least favorite chore?

Washing the dishes, purely because I know that if I don’t do it first, of all it it’s not going to get done, and second, if someone else does it, we’re probably all going to get dysentery. It’s either the dishwasher or me!

What is your dream meal?

Ramen with eggs, bacon and cheese. That, or cookie cake.