Women’s Track & Field Athlete, BBA student

“Comebacks, Changeups and Thriving by Adapting”

Printassia Johnson has put in the work to make her athletic dreams come true, despite setbacks along the way. The Nassau, Bahamas native has gone through some “dark night of the soul” moments where she has had to reexamine what she loves, her true motivations and her right path. Johnson had started Track & Field at age 5, feeling defined by her athleticism for much of her life. Like many talented athletes before her, Johnson found it to be an excellent vehicle for helping her pursue her personal goals, particularly scholarship funds that allowed her to attend high school and college.

As a junior-level athlete, Johnson competed three times with the Bahamas team in the CARIFTA games, an annual athletics competition for junior athletes from the Caribbean region that has helped develop the careers of world-class athletes such as Usain Bolt. She received four honorary plaques for her efforts at the CARIFTA games. Johnson’s other junior-level accolades of note include 58 Track Ribbons, 100+ Medals, 12 Trophies and a BAISS 100m & 200m Record.

So, needless to say, it isn’t surprising that track coaches were interested in adding her to their rosters. However, Johnson experienced an all-too-familiar burnout that many high-powered athletes face, compounded by athletic injuries that she has dealt with for much of her track & field career. It was time to take stock and explore other interests – understand a bit more about her aspirations off the track.

“Had I not taken that hiatus from track and field, I don’t think I would have been a more complete person. I was very sport-focused, and I wasn’t a very all-around person. I didn’t have that emotional intelligence that I needed and that maturity that I needed,” Johnson said.

She found herself drawn to the complex world of information technology (IT), computer science and how data drives the future. She worked for three years as a Technical Assistant for The Bahamas Telecommunications Company, learning the ropes of providing reliable internet and landline services as well as how to troubleshoot technical issues and resolve network issues through programming. She continued to work in this space and eventually concluded that more education was needed to propel her to her next desired steps. Simultaneously, in the back of her mind, Johnson found herself profoundly missing the pace, pride, passion and purpose she once felt as a track and field athlete.

“Track and field was the only thing that really brought life to me,” Johnson said.

Johnson began to experiment on her own, becoming her own coach and training with videos from U.S. coaches she admired, such as Stephen Francis and John Smith. Pulling whatever felt valuable to her to create her own track and field workouts, Johnson then competed on her own against young women in track clubs with their own coaches. Johnson’s natural talent and muscle memory often resulted in victory and impressive times, quickly attracting the attention of Ednal Rolle, Head Athletic Coach (Track/Field/Cross-Country) of the University of the Bahamas. He coached her for a year, in a time she needed encouragement and mentorship, describing Rolle as “an angel” that came into her life at an opportune moment.

It became clear to her that to progress to the next level, like the Olympics or the World Championships, a move to the United States was necessary. She had a few stops and starts on her journey toward finding the best coach and the best educational fit for her needs. Before joining Life University’s (Life U) Women’s Track and Field roster, Johnson had studied and competed at a few other U.S. universities due to recruitment from intriguing coaches, but then found herself a bit adrift when key coaches that she intended to work with moved on to other places. Fortunately, she began studying and competing at Life U in January 2024 and hasn’t looked back.

She felt an instant connection with Coach Dominic Demeritte, Life U’s Director of Cross Country and Track & Field, due to their shared Bahamian heritage and their commitment to the sport. She has a truly phenomenal record at Life U so far, including (but not limited to):

  • 2024 SSAC 60m & 200m Indoor Champion
    • 2024 SSAC 200m Indoor Record – 23.60 sec
    • 2024 NAIA 200m Indoor Champion
    • 2024 NAIA Indoor 3rd Place – 60m & 4x400m Relay
    • Life Univ. 200m Indoor Record – 23.22 sec (Mar 2024)
    • Life Univ. 200m Outdoor Record – 23.23 sec (Apr 2024)
    • Life Univ. 400m Indoor Record – 53.62 sec (Feb 2025)
    • 2025 NAIA 400m Outdoor Champion
    • 2025 NAIA Outdoor 4x400m Relay Champion
    • Life Univ. 400m Outdoor Record – 52.46 sec (May 2025)
    • 2025 NAIA National Championship Runner-Up (May 2025)

Demeritte and the Life U coaching staff have urged her to think differently and push herself in new ways on the track, particularly in the events she favors. She has been competing mostly in the 200/400m despite previously competing as a 100/200m sprinter. The Tribune covers this journey in their article “Bahamian sprint phenom Printassia Johnson excited about switch to 200/400m”. Converting to the longer sprints was Demeritte’s plan to allow her to recover from an injury sustained before the conference meet, but she took to the event so fast and well that they decided to keep her there for now. It is an event she previously disliked but has now come to love with practice and support. Keeping herself healthy and at peak performance is important for Johnson, so she feels lucky to receive top-tier athletic training and chiropractic care through Life U to help keep her in shape.

“Recently, my neck and back have been really tight. Dr. Robert Dubuque has been finding those hotspots and applying the right amount of pressure to release those knots. It’s helped with my posture and has me feeling a lot better on the track,” Johnson said.

“Now I can really feel the benefit of the recovery that the physical therapy and chiropractic care is doing for me. I feel light and good while at practice, as if I’m performing at an optimum professional level.”

Johnson is extremely grateful for the professional assistance she has received as a student athlete, thanking Dr. Derek Fraizer, in particular, as well as Drs. Hector Virella and Robert Dubuque for chiropractic care at different points during her time here. She also sends a heartfelt thank you to Cheryl Baxter and Vency Hayes, athletic trainers she has worked with at different times.

Johnson has much to look forward to in her athletic career but still has high hopes for other professional pursuits outside of track. Regarding her academics, Johnson finds that the Bachelor of Business Administration program (BBA) is preparing her for a solid career in business management. She is especially grateful for her knowledgeable and engaging professors in the program., Drs. Paula Billups and Marie Powell. She plans to continue to use diligent chiropractic care and athletic training as her combined secret weapons for success.

As Johnson prepares for graduation in September, she looks forward to seeing how far she can go as an athlete, setting her sights on returning home at the end of August to try to earn a spot in the Bahamas Senior Nationals Team. If she makes it, she will be headed to the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. She is also fielding sponsor offers currently. We wish her the best of luck with the rest of her time here at Life U and with her future athletic and professional goals!