Story Links
April 14, 2003
CHARLOTTESVILLE – Student Athlete-of-the-Month showcases athletes who have demonstrated excellence both on the playing field and in the classroom. The April Male Student Athlete-of-the-Month, third-year Tillman Johnson, has displayed a strong work ethic in his academic and athletic endeavors. A Sociology major from Annapolis, MD, Johnson was recently selected as the ACC player of the.
Q: How long have you been playing lacrosse and how did you become interested in playing?
A: I was probably six years old when I started playing lacrosse. It was really big where I am from and my next door neighbor played for Princeton. He got me really involved in the sport.
Q: What brought you to UVa?
A: This is the school I have always wanted to attend, both for academics and athletics. I had another neighbor who played lacrosse here in the early nineties and I always watched his games. I also followed football here in addition to lacrosse!
Q: Who was influential in developing your game?
A: Probably the main person was Nick Kallis, my coach for my recreation league teams. He taught me how to play goalie at eight or nine years old and just really made me love the game. I still keep in contact with him and keep him updated on my progress here.
Q: And what has been your biggest influence in your academic endeavors?
A: I think having the opportunity to go to school here has made me work even harder. I wouldn’t be here with out lacrosse and I’m trying to take advantage of the wonderful academics while I’m here.
Q: What is the best part about being on the team?
A: The team in itself is a great group of guys. We all get along and we play well together. Being able to be on a team that is top 10 in the country is really special!
Q: How did you feel being named ACC player of the week?
A: It’s a neat honor and its really nice to be honored for your hard work every once in a while. However, there are more important things for me to be thinking about right now than getting a lot of honors or awards. I have to focus on the upcoming games without letting this go to my head.
Q: How do you balance your coursework with your lacrosse schedule?
A: It’s definitely tough but I try to go to all my classes, do all my reading, and study after class. It is difficult but you have to get through it. I try to manage my time well and I wake up early sometimes to get stuff done.
Q: What are you looking forward to most next year in Lacrosse?
A: I’m really excited about my fourth year! It will be my last year playing, but I hope to excel and finish it off strong. I’m looking forward to playing with the guys next year and the new group of guys coming in.
Q: And in school?
A: I’m looking forward to graduating. I can’t wait to walk out of here with my degree from Virginia. It will be very rewarding!
Q: What will you be doing this summer to prepare for next year?
A: I’m going to be going out to California with teammate Justin Mullen to work some lacrosse camps. We’re going to start in southern California and work our way up working various summer camps. It will help us stay in shape physically and mentally and we’ll be able to improve upon our game while teaching others about the sport.