Since October 2003, East Carolina senior deep sea snapper Britt Johnson has had the opportunity to do something everyone should be lucky enough to do at some point in life: live their dream. Johnson’s dream, for as long as he can remember, was to be a football player at the University of East Carolina.
“I’ve been an East Carolina Pirate for as long as I can remember. I’m 22 at the moment, so I guess technically I’ve been one for about 19 years. After being born into such a strong East Carolina family, I didn’t. “. I have another option and I’m very glad I didn’t. “
Johnson’s parents Don and Wanda, both ECU graduates, were taking their son to baseball games in Greenville long before he realized what was going on. Not only was Don an ECU alumnus, but he had also been a manager during Pat Dye’s extremely successful era.
The Johnsons live in Rocky Mount, which is only about a 45-minute drive from Greenville. This has been a convenient place to call home over the years with as many trips the family has made to the Emerald City. Britt loves her hometown, which she refers to as “The Rock,” but she also realizes how living so close to Greenville has benefited her in that her family can attend her games.
His younger brothers, Will (19) and Grant (16), are both staunch Pirates, but also pursue their own athletic dreams. Will is a baseball player at Barton College in Wilson, which is about 30 minutes from Greenville, while Grant plays various sports for the Rocky Mount Gryphons. However, despite some conflicts, they can take advantage of most of their older brother’s games. This means a lot to his “big brother” and is something he definitely does not take for granted.
“It’s a great feeling on Saturday to look out into the stands and see my brothers Will and Grant dressed in their purple and gold and to see them cheering me on and supporting me as I’m living my dream.”
Johnson also values the presence of his grandparents in his games, but more importantly the support they have always given him.
“It was also great to see all my grandparents at my games.”
Jack and Doril Henderson, your mom’s parents, haven’t missed a game.
“Since I’ve been on the team, they haven’t missed a game and they also made sure to join the Pirate Club. They are undoubtedly staunch pirates.”
His father’s parents, Donald and Mildred Johnson, are also supportive.
“They have supported me my entire life and have followed all my athletic endeavors. I am extremely grateful for that.”
This proximity to East Carolina has allowed the Rocky Mount native to only miss three football games at the Pirates’ home since 1987. Britt’s earliest memories of attending an ECU game are from that season.
“The first game I remember going to East Carolina was 1987 when ECU played Florida State. What I remember the most is that he wanted to leave the game with 12 minutes left in the first quarter. My dad sure didn’t. for that to happen and I’m glad he didn’t because now I would never think of leaving a game early. “
After graduating from Rocky Mount High School, the former Gryphon center and deep center knew he would attend East Carolina to pursue his lifelong dream of playing soccer for his beloved Pirates.
Due to his lack of size, the 5-8, 223-pound Johnson knew his niche would be deep center. After reaching ECU, he went out twice for the team, but was unsuccessful on every attempt. Frustrated, the staunch Pirate contemplated losing his dream, but knew he couldn’t give up because that’s not what Pirates do.
On September 30, 2003, Johnson was attending East Carolina’s Tuesday night home game on ESPN against the Houston Cougars when he was presented with his opportunity as a result of an injury to the Pirates’ starting deep center.
“Brandon Howard, our long snapper, got hurt that night,” Johnson recalled. “We saw him limping off the field and he didn’t come back. After the game, I went and waited in the locker room and he told me he had torn his ACL.”
“A couple of days later, I walked over to Coach McManus’s office. He was the special teams coach at the time, but he wasn’t in his office, so I gulped and said, ‘Well, I have to go to El Big dog. ‘So I went to John Thompson’s office and when I walked in I started to introduce myself and he said,’ Britt, I know who you are. We were about to call you.
“He told me to show up at practice the next day ready to snap for him. I went out, snapped, and ended up dressing for the rest of the season. I’ve been on the team ever since.”
While Johnson met his goal of joining the team at ECU, could his experience with the purple and gold team seem incomplete if he never walks onto the field to play for a moment?
“It’s not a possibility. I certainly would love to be able to break up next year as a senior if I get that chance, but if not, I can still walk away with my head held high knowing that I fulfilled my childhood dream. It’s just great to be a East Carolina Pirate “.
With Johnson’s senior season on the horizon, he reflected on his best memory as a member of the East Carolina football team.
“Without a doubt, my favorite memory as a player was walking into the dressing room before Carolina’s game and seeing my shirt and pants in my locker, knowing that I was about to put on the shirt that I had dreamed of wearing all my life. Putting the shirt on. , running through the tunnel with the smoke and hearing 46,000 fans screaming at the top of their lungs for you, it was a feeling that I had never experienced in my life. “
You can’t wait to experience that same feeling six more times before your gamer days are over.
Being such an uncompromising and lifelong Pirate, Johnson is sure to have great Pirates memories (games, seasons, players) in addition to his days on the team.
“My favorite memory as a fan, by far, was experiencing the entire 1991 season and seeing the comeback in the Peach Bowl against NC State.”
“My favorite ECU player would have to be Jeff Blake. He is the first quarterback I really remember seeing in his entire career. The quarterback who took ECU to the promised land in 1991!”
During his time at East Carolina, not only was he able to live out his life’s dream of being on the Pirate soccer team, but he also made great friends through soccer, which he will never forget.
“My fondest memory is probably not seeing the guys I’ve seen every day of my life for the past four years. Our friendships will last forever, but they won’t be the same. I’ll also miss the feeling that you start the day! of the game knowing that you are about to go to battle with your brothers, the feeling of knowing that you are willing to die for these guys on the field every Saturday! ”.
As Johnson’s time as a Pirates player ends, he spoke about the future of the East Carolina program under the leadership of Skip Holtz.
“We are a program on the rise,” Johnson said. “Coach Holtz is great and has surrounded himself with a staff that is as good as any we’ve had here in East Carolina in a long time. Expect great things to start happening here. I just hope everyone will join in and come.” Get on the boat with us. It’s going to be a fun trip. “
On November 11, 2006, East Carolina will host the Marshall Thundering Herd on Senior’s Day. One can only imagine the bittersweet thoughts that will run through Britt Johnson’s head as she runs into Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for the last time.
“It’s going to be a very sad day for me. This is a day that I have been dreading ever since I came to ECU. Knowing that this will be the last game of my life is going to be very difficult. I will probably be crying and grateful for the opportunity that the Lord gave me to be a part of this program. I will kiss my mom, hug my dad, greet my family in the stands and then prepare to beat Marshall. I also feel good knowing that this technically will not be my! last home game because I plan on us to host the conference championship game! “
Unfortunately this dream, like all dreams, will come to an end, but what a dream it was! However, Britt Johnson doesn’t want to be woken up just yet, as she hopes the dream she’s living will end with the Pirates winning a bowling game.
However, when the dream is over, you can be sure that this Pirate will bleed purple and sweat gold until the day he dies.