Denise Johns
Encyclopedia
Denise Johns is a professional beach volleyball
player. She was born in Luxembourg
, grew up in the USA, but competes for Great Britain
.
in Luxembourg
, her father Martin Johns is English, and she has one sister. Her family moved from Luxembourg to Ohio
when she was 4 years old. She grew up in Copley, Ohio, and started playing volleyball at the age of 10. She attended Copley High School
, where she excelled at swimming, track and volleyball.
She obtained a bachelor degree in architecture from University of Cincinnati
, where she concentrated on rowing rather than volleyball.
She graduated in 2002, and moved to Atlanta, playing amateur beach volleyball on the east coast of America. After success in those tournaments she moved to San Diego, California
where she played on the AVP
tour for four years.
Tour in 2003, and with Jenelle Koester, won the 2003 AVPNext National Championships. In 2005, she and Alicia Polzin defeated both the second and third ranked teams on the tour in the same tournament.
She has competed in 42 AVP
tournaments, 6 FIVB tournaments, and 22 various other tournaments. She was ranked ranked 12th on the AVP after 2006. She obtained first place in the Weymouth Classic in 2006, 4th place in the Argentina
FIVB Challenge in 2005, 2nd place in Mexico in 2005, and 1st place at the AVP
Next Championships in 2003.
Her current volleyball team partner is Lucy Boulton. She currently trains at the UK volleyball HQ at TeamBath
at the University of Bath
, UK.
, Somerset
, with her husbandJody Gooding
, also a member of the Great Britain
team. She still does some work as an architect in addition to her volleyball. Johns and Gooding were married on 4 September 2011 in a ceremony held on the beach in Folly Beach, South Carolina.
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
player. She was born in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, grew up in the USA, but competes for Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
Early life
Born December 9, 1978 in EttelbruckEttelbruck
Ettelbruck is a commune with city status in central Luxembourg, with a population of approximately 7,500. As of 2005, the town of Ettelbruck itself, which lies in the east of the commune, has a population of 6,191. The town of Warken and Grentzingen are also within the commune...
in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, her father Martin Johns is English, and she has one sister. Her family moved from Luxembourg to Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
when she was 4 years old. She grew up in Copley, Ohio, and started playing volleyball at the age of 10. She attended Copley High School
Copley High School
Copley High School is a public high school in Copley, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Copley-Fairlawn City Schools district.It is in the Suburban League, and located on Ridgewood Road....
, where she excelled at swimming, track and volleyball.
She obtained a bachelor degree in architecture from University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, where she concentrated on rowing rather than volleyball.
She graduated in 2002, and moved to Atlanta, playing amateur beach volleyball on the east coast of America. After success in those tournaments she moved to San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
where she played on the AVP
Association of Volleyball Professionals
The Association of Volleyball Professionals, or AVP, is a beach volleyball tour which takes place throughout the United States. The summer tour starts in April and continues almost every weekend until the end of October....
tour for four years.
Career
She started playing on the AVPAssociation of Volleyball Professionals
The Association of Volleyball Professionals, or AVP, is a beach volleyball tour which takes place throughout the United States. The summer tour starts in April and continues almost every weekend until the end of October....
Tour in 2003, and with Jenelle Koester, won the 2003 AVPNext National Championships. In 2005, she and Alicia Polzin defeated both the second and third ranked teams on the tour in the same tournament.
She has competed in 42 AVP
Association of Volleyball Professionals
The Association of Volleyball Professionals, or AVP, is a beach volleyball tour which takes place throughout the United States. The summer tour starts in April and continues almost every weekend until the end of October....
tournaments, 6 FIVB tournaments, and 22 various other tournaments. She was ranked ranked 12th on the AVP after 2006. She obtained first place in the Weymouth Classic in 2006, 4th place in the Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
FIVB Challenge in 2005, 2nd place in Mexico in 2005, and 1st place at the AVP
Association of Volleyball Professionals
The Association of Volleyball Professionals, or AVP, is a beach volleyball tour which takes place throughout the United States. The summer tour starts in April and continues almost every weekend until the end of October....
Next Championships in 2003.
Her current volleyball team partner is Lucy Boulton. She currently trains at the UK volleyball HQ at TeamBath
TeamBath
"Team Bath" redirects here. For the football club, see Team Bath F.C..TeamBath is the brand name of the University of Bath's sports operation...
at the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
, UK.
Personal life
Johns lives in a 175-year old cottage in Midsomer NortonMidsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, with her husbandJody Gooding
Jody Gooding
Jody Gooding is a beach volleyball player for England and Great Britain who was the youngest-ever British champion.-Early life:He was born in Gloucester in 1981 and attended school in Tuffley at St Peter's High School, Gloucester and Hartpury College in Gloucestershire.-Career:He won the mens...
, also a member of the Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
team. She still does some work as an architect in addition to her volleyball. Johns and Gooding were married on 4 September 2011 in a ceremony held on the beach in Folly Beach, South Carolina.