FEATURE: A Newcomer To Ferris State, Emmett Johnson Finds A New Home And Fresh Start As a Bulldog Runner

By Sandy Gholston

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Running in his first season at Ferris State, Emmett Johnson has had a lot to smile about with a new life in Michigan as a transfer student-athlete.

Johnson, a junior from South Range, Wisconsin, started his college running career at the University of Missouri-St. Louis took a sharp turn to resurface in Big Rapids for a rebirth.

Still learning his way around campus and building strong bonds with teammates, Johnson quickly started with Ferris State's annual Ray Helsing Invitational at Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids on Sept. 6.

"It was a nice race to host and start the season with because it's pretty low stress," Johnson said. "There aren't a lot of teams, so we are mainly racing each other, and it's also nice being in Big Rapids because a lot of people have family and friends that can come watch. So, it's just a nice way to knock off the rust and enjoy the start of the season."

Beginning life as a Bulldog was an opportunity to continue a lifelong running passion.

"I've been around running my whole life because my dad is a runner and used to do all kinds of different ultra marathons," Johnson said. "This also tied him to the running community in our area. When me and my siblings were little, our parents would occasionally take us to run in the local Wednesday night kids' races. But when it came to actually choosing cross country and track, though, I give a lot of credit to my brother."

While running was and is a passion, in high school, cross country had a competing sport for his attention, even for a guy coming from a running family.

"During my freshman year of high school, I had to decide if I wanted to do football or run, and I loved both. One of the big factors was that my brother would be a senior on the cross team and I'd be a freshman," Johnson said. "So, I wasn't gonna pass up the opportunity to be teammates with him. I probably would have chosen running regardless, but I like to give him the credit."

Family has always had a major and inspirational impact on Johnson's life. Limiting himself to one inspirational figure is impossible.

"I don't think I can pick just one because the people who really inspire me most are my family," Johnson said. "I'm the youngest child, so I have an older brother and an older sister, and I've always looked up to them and tried to learn from them."

It's more than a sibling thing, as Johnson also pointed to his parents for setting the example.

"My mom is one of the kindest people I know, so I always want to be as much like that as possible, and well, I am being asked these questions as an athlete, and my dad is largely the reason I am the athlete I am," Johnson said. "He taught me that no matter how much or how little natural talent you have, what really matters is how hard you work."

Emmett's father further taught him to be humble.

"He'd say, 'Just play your game and let it speak for itself,'" recalled Johnson, who let his game speak as he noted his top performance this season was finishing in the top 20 at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Friday, Sept. 19.

The Roy Griak Invitational, where he placed 19th, clocking a time of 27:09.6, was a special race for him because of its location and history.

"The race was kind of special for me because it was my first time racing semi-close to home since college, and I had run at that meet in high school," Johnson said. "It's a really big meet. In high school, I don't think I ever even cracked the top 100. So, to go back and be one of the top finishers, taking 19th overall, was pretty cool."

Helping his game speak loudly, learning from his father's lesson, is built on a continuous strong work ethic.

"Training for cross country starts in late May and goes until the end of cross season in November," he said. "When the season ends, we take a week-and-a-half to two weeks off with no running. Then, we start up again in late November to train for the indoor track season, which goes until early March. Then, it's straight into the outdoor track season, which goes until early May. Then we'll take a week or two break again. Then, it's right back to the start of the cycle training for cross country."

Entering his first year as a Bulldog, this fall, Johnson had his goals set.

"I really just wanted to have a good season because it's my first year here after going through a transfer," he said. "So, I didn't want to make any specific goals necessarily as much as I just wanted a solid season."

As a team, Ferris State has set its sights on having a strong performance at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championships on Saturday.

"As a team, we are trying to be finish near the top as high as we can," Johnson said. "Overall, we have a fairly young team with a large freshman class, and most of the guys are coming back next year. So, if we can make that step in the right direction this year, it leaves us set up for a very bright future."

Away from running, Johnson is working toward a career in optometry.

"My major is currently Pre-Optometry, and I will be starting actual optometry school next year at the Michigan College of Optometry," he said. "I guess I chose optometry because it takes a medical career that is biology but then mixes in physics and math with the lenses of the eye, and that combo of physics and biology kind of suited me."

Johnson, who has had opportunities to do job shadowing, is people-focused and sees how an optometry career can impact lives.

"What I really like about it, though, is that I get to take what I learn and use it to help people," he said. "It would be cool to someday own my own clinic, but I don't know for sure if I will take that route or choose to work at a hospital."

The Bulldogs are prepared for the upcoming NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championships hosted by Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday (Nov. 8) in Kenosha, Wis.