Indispensible Erickson

University girls basketball coach Mark Stinson was at a loss for words when it comes to describing senior post Janna Erickson.

“I’m not sure what the word is that describes Janna,” the coach said. “I don’t know how I’m going to replace her. Every time I think I forget something and wonder if anyone is going to remember to do it, there’s Janna. She’s already done it.”

“Intangible?” someone suggests.

“Yeah, well, she has that, sure,” Stinson said. “She’s more like that credit card commercial. She’s the part that’s ‘Priceless.’ “

“Indispensable?”

“That’s it!” he said. “That’s it exactly. Indispensable.”

At 6 feet tall, Erickson is difficult to overlook. Not that she gives people much of a chance. In addition to playing basketball, she is the Associated Student Body treasurer, an honor student taking advanced placement classes and active in her church and the school’s Key Club – helping to organize fund-raising drives to aid families struggling with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina – and a fixture at whatever activity the school is sponsoring at the moment.

“I love being involved in my school,” Erickson said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m helping to make my school the place it should be. I’ve loved every minute of it and I’m going to miss it when it’s all over.”

On the basketball court Erickson has evolved into an effective post, giving the Titans a strong inside presence – a role she’s grown into in her third full season on the University.

“I always think that’s what summer basketball is for,” Erickson said. “We play a tournament just about every weekend and two games a week. I love playing with my teammates and I like working hard and trying to make myself better.

“I think I had to learn how to play big. That’s something I think is true, no matter what gender you are. You have to learn how to be coordinated, and for girls, I think you have to learn how to be physical with your body. You have to learn how to play big.”

Injuries wracked the Titans early this season. At the All-Valley Jamboree, for example, the only varsity players available for action were Erickson and Kara Crisp. Tonya Schnibbe returned quickly and, after missing the first two games, so did standout forward Angie Bjorklund.

“I felt I had to bring my game up a level, especially with so many players out,” she explained. “But I think that was good for us. We learned that we were still a pretty good basketball team – even with Angie on the bench.

“I don’t want it to sound negative – but learning that we were a good basketball team even without Angie makes us better. I think Angie knows now that she can rely on her teammates and trust us to get the job done. Now that we’re healthy, I think our best basketball is still ahead of us.”

Before the team was beset by injuries, the Titans were tabbed as a preseason pick to challenge for a state title – something Erickson said she would love to add as an exclamation point on her class career at the school.

Stinson said Erickson has learned much during her high school career – and her improvement has caught the eye of several college coaches.

“If you look at the way most players improve, it’s an upward slope,” Stinson said. “With Janna, it looks more like a staircase. She improves in leaps. It’s impressive to see.

“I’m glad to see that college coaches are noticing that. She has some junior colleges interested in having her come play for them.”

Erickson isn’t sure if she’s interested.

“I would love to keep playing basketball,” she said. “But I’ve worked so hard in class, gotten good grades, been a member of National Honor Society – and I’ve done that taking A.P. classes. I don’t think going to a junior college or a community college is the type of school I want to attend.

“Right now I’ve been accepted at Western Washington and at Gonzaga. I don’t think I’m good enough to walk on at Gonzaga. I don’t know about Western. I guess I’ll have to decide pretty soon, though.”

Working hard and being involved are major themes in Janna Erickson’s life.

Check out any event at the school – from sporting events, band concerts, school plays or fund-raisers – and you will find Erickson front and center, cheering from the sidelines or plunging in to help out.

But her life wasn’t always as packed

“When I was a freshman I was pretty much by myself,” she admitted. “The only friends I had were on my sports teams. As I went on and got more involved in things like the Honor Society, I made more friends.”

During the fall, Erickson held a permanent place on the sidelines, cheering the team and longtime teammate Crisp onward. Same with soccer matches, where teammate Schnibbe was a standout.

That kind of support makes Erickson a de facto cheerleader.

“I love cheering!” she laughed. “Learning all the cheers and things like that – that’s a lot of fun. And I love being there to support my friends and my teammates.”

For Erickson, it’s about giving back.

“My other primary activity is Key Club, which is an outside community service group that my older sister actually helped start at U-Hi,” she said. “We raised about $1,500 dollars for Hurricane Katrina relief. This month, we’re making Valentine’s bags for the kids at Shriners Hospital and we’re going to deliver them. I love giving back to my community. The way I look at it, our community gave us our school and gave us everything that we’re blessed with. I don’t think teenagers realize just how much we are blessed. I think the Key Club is just a great way for us to give back to our community.”