In the field of nursing. And on the field as a ball girl for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“Being just a few feet away from Major League Baseball is something I'll never take for granted,” she acknowledges. “Every game is unique, and getting to experience those moments from the field is incredible.”
Though she was born in the year 2000, Sarah has lived through just a half-dozen dates on the calendar that read “February 29.”
“I always joke that I’m only 6,” she says, smiling. “It’s fun to be a ‘leap baby.’ Except when you try to put your birthdate online.”
Then again, if Sarah continues to gain national notoriety there may come a time when she doesn’t need an ID. Over the summer she was among just six ball girls in all of MLB to be nominated to serve at the 2026 All-Star Game.
“The experience was amazing. Even though I wasn't ultimately selected, it allowed me to meet incredible people and share my story. It was something I'll never forget.”
And how it all came together might be even more memorable.
A SOFTBALL STAR
Sarah Johnson is a baller.
Always has been.
She grew up in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, the youngest of three children, and her formative years were filled with lots of fun and games. Softball in the spring and summer. Basketball and hockey in the winter. During one high school softball tournament, her foot speed and sweet swing attracted the attention of Andrew Fee, an assistant coach for the Geneva College women’s team at the time. He alerted head coach Van Zanic, who ultimately sealed the deal for Sarah to relocate to western Pennsylvania in 2019.
She’s never left.
“The first semester was definitely an adjustment. I remember calling my mom and saying, ‘I don't know if I want to do this.’ She told me to give it time, and she was right. Looking back, I can't imagine my life any other way.”
After the initial hesitation, Sarah embraced the campus culture and began flourishing in the classroom and on the field. She shattered nearly every Geneva softball record during her stellar career, and she was named a Division III All-American following her senior year. Because of the COVID interruption, she could have played one more season. But even though Sarah was just 35 hits shy of the all-time national mark, she opted to graduate and accepted an orthopedic nursing position at Passavant Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Sarah Johnson and her former coach, Van Zanic, reconnect on the softball field at Geneva College. (Photo by Sally Maxson)
On a sun-splashed Monday morning in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, she returned to the Merriman Athletic Complex on the Geneva campus where she once dazzled fans with spectacular catches in the outfield. She’s playing long toss with a visitor when her former coach pulls up with a bat and a bucket of balls.
“Let’s see if you’ve still got it,” Coach Zanic shouts to Sarah, laughing. “Get ready to run.”
And run she did. After gracefully tracking down several pop flies and sharp grounders, the two retreat to the dugout where they reflect on some special moments.
“How would you describe Sarah?” the coach is asked.
“First off, she’s a better person than a player — and she was a GREAT player for us.”
And he knows a thing or two about special players. Coach Zanic has amassed 599 wins and his teams have reached the postseason in 21 of his 25 seasons leading the Golden Tornadoes.
“Sarah is the most dynamic player I’ve ever coached, but she’s also the most humble person I’ve coached. She accomplished more than just about anyone who's come through our program, yet she never changed. She never complained. She never sought attention. She simply worked harder than everyone else.”
Sarah smiles.
“Yes, we worked very hard but we also had a lot of fun. Coach Zanic taught me so much. Not just about the game, but about life.”
And those lessons would prove invaluable as she embarked on a unique dual-career journey.
From an early age, Sarah Johnson had a vision to become a star on the softball diamond and left Geneva College with virtually every school record. (Photo by Sally Maxson)
SERVING IN SCRUBS
Sarah points to her athletic background for the way she carries herself as a resource nurse for AHN Wexford Hospital, a position she started in early 2026. It’s a demanding role that requires the versatility to cover for sudden staffing deficits, the problem solving skills to tackle complex clinical tasks, and the agility to respond to urgent needs.
Oh, and the stamina to do all three during 12-hour shifts.
“Sports taught me so much about leadership, discipline, and teamwork,” she explains. “I’ve always been more of a lead-by-example type of person, but athletics helped me become more confident as a leader. Nursing is very similar. You have to work closely with people you may have never met before, communicate well, and support each other every day. Those experiences on the softball field translated directly into my career.”
But after years of sustained success on the diamond, Sarah has had to adapt to the uncertainty of patient care. Not every procedure has a happy ending. And not every life can be extended.
“Sometimes, I wish I could do more. You can give everything you have, but certain outcomes are simply outside your control. That's probably the hardest part of nursing — wanting the very best for every patient.”
Healthcare had been Sarah’s field of dreams for as long as she can remember. She arrived at Geneva when its nursing program was in its infancy, and quickly learned she was missing a prerequisite toward a degree. A professor referred her to Portage Learning and she registered for Anatomy & Physiology I w/Lab.
“My experience with Portage Learning was excellent. Even though the classes were online, I never felt like I was on my own. My professor was approachable, knowledgeable, and always willing to help.”
Sarah called the teaching style of Professor Heidi Burtt “wonderful,” and appreciated her thoughtful responses to questions. She also relished the asynchronous, self-directed course that fit into her busy schedule.
“The flexibility Portage offered made a huge difference for me. It allowed me to balance athletics, academics, and everything else happening in my life while still receiving a quality education.”
And flexibility remains something Sarah needs plenty of today.
Former Portage Learning student Sarah Johnson is now a resource nurse at AHN Wexford Hospital.
A LEAGUE OF HER OWN
“Lots of planning … and lots of caffeine,” is how Sarah responds when asked how she balances her full-time nursing career while working about 50 games a year at PNC Park.
“Nursing always comes first,” she stresses, “then I coordinate my baseball schedule around my hospital schedule. My supervisors at both AHN and the Pirates have been incredibly supportive, and that’s made it possible to continue doing both jobs.”
At times during the season, Sarah is known to go a full day without sleep — working from 7 p.m. to 7:30 a.m at the hospital, then making her way to PNC Park for a Pirates day game and all that comes with it.
“I don’t do it all the time, but I’ll stay up for 24 hours straight if I need to for a game. I’ll usually do it on the back end of a three-day rotation at AHN,” she explains. “After work I’ll run home, grab a quick sandwich and some coffee, then I’m ready to go.”
Her work ethic inspires fellow ball girl Jenna Frontino, a full-time school teacher who joined the team five years ago.
“I envy Sarah so much,” she says. “She loves her job and never comes to the stadium in a bad mood no matter how tired she might be. She literally busts her butt without sleep to make people happy during games.”
Jenna laughs.
“But as much as I love the ball park, I can’t do that. I need my rest.”
Sarah is in her sixth season with the Pirates, and says she’ll continue in that role “as long as they’ll have me.” It’s not a given: Sarah, Jenna, and the remaining 10 ball team members must try out each season to earn a spot. Those auditions include fielding sharply hit ground balls and pop flies, then sitting down for an interview to assess how they interact with others.
“I played softball in high school but I think I was a ‘personality’ hire,” Jenna admits. “Sarah is great in both areas.”
Sarah compares her on-field activities to the work she does on the floor at AHN. Both require intense focus, quick reflexes, winsome people skills, and a sixth sense to predict what might be coming. For example, during a game last season against the Dodgers, Pittsburgh outfielder Andrew McCutchen hit a smoking line drive down the third-base line and Sarah reacted quickly to snatch it mid-air — protecting nearby fans from potential injury. The camera crew covering the game caught it for the television broadcast, so that meant Coach Zanic saw it, too.
“I watch almost every Pirates game,” he notes, “so when Sarah made that play I texted her right away: ‘Nice catch, kid.’”
In addition to Sarah’s athletic prowess, her coach believes she has another special quality that sets her apart for career success.
“She has tremendous empathy. She meets people where they are. That's what made her such a great teammate, and I'm sure it's what makes her an outstanding nurse. Sarah builds trust naturally, and people respond to that. Patients don't always need someone with every answer — they need someone who genuinely cares about them. She has always had that gift.”
Sarah hopes her story of persistence and discipline encourages current Portage Learning students who might be thinking of giving up because of demanding family and work responsibilities.
“There will definitely be difficult days,” she acknowledges. “But if you stick with it, you'll eventually look back and realize just how much you've accomplished. The challenges are temporary, but what you're working toward is incredibly rewarding. As a nurse, there are far more good days than bad ones.”
Jenna agrees.
“Sarah is helping to save lives at the hospital,” she emphasizes. “And then in-between we get paid to watch baseball.”
Not a bad way to spend a summer day.
Or a career, for that matter.
When she’s not caring for patients at AHN Wexford Hospital, Sarah Johnson has one of the best seats in the house as a ball girl for the Pittsburgh Pirates. (Photo courtesy of Major League Baseball.)
