But his uncompromising faith brought him to the reality of knowing he won't get the chance.

Johnson, a senior at Charlotte's Vance High School, is one of the best long jumpers, high jumpers and triple jumpers in the state. But he's a Seventh-day Adventist, a Protestant denomination whose members observe Saturday as the Sabbath, or holy day.

He is unwavering in his belief that the Sabbath was made for rest, and that he shouldn't do anything to take his mind off God. So he won't compete at today's Queen City Relays at Myers Park High, and he won't be at the regional competition on Saturday, May 15, when athletes qualify for the state high school finals.

Though they'd love for him to compete and help the team, his teammates and coach see his faith as a strength.

``We all respect Rodney,'' said junior teammate Doug Garland. ``We respect his decision. He's a good leader. Since he's a good leader, he shows us that he practices what he preaches. He exercises his faith in God by going to church on Saturday.

``Of course, we could score points and do better if he was (at the Saturday meets) and have a better chance at the state competition. I guess we'll just have to work with what we have.

``People,'' he said, ``have to accept what you believe sometimes.''

North Rowan High School coach Robert Steele accepted what Johnson believes and accommodated him. Steele, 45, had a large meet at North Rowan High on a Friday and Saturday, April 2 and 3.

The boys' triple jump competition began around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and the girls' triple jump began at 5 p.m. Steele allowed Johnson to triple jump with the girls at 5 p.m. -- avoiding the 7:30 p.m. boys' start that would have forced him to violate the Sabbath.

The result at North Rowan?

A personal best in the triple jump of 43 feet 7 1/2 inches.

``I got a call from his coach (John Cunningham) on Monday or Tuesday before the meet,'' said Steele, who has coached numerous state champions and was named Track Digest's national coach of the year last year. ``He made me aware of the young man's religious beliefs, and I believed that it was an opportunity that I could afford the young man. And for that reason I let him jump.

``We were trying to have a good meet, and the people at Vance were nice enough to come up. It wasn't a difficult decision. It didn't interfere with the competition, and he got an opportunity to compete. And really that was what our meet was all about.''

Johnson isn't pushed by his parents, who also are Seventh-Day Adventists, to refrain from competing on Saturdays. It's his decision alone.

He has played sports since he was a seventh-grader, but middle school competitions are seldom on Saturday.

When he became a freshman at Northside Christian Academy, he had to decide whether to compete at the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association state meet -- on a Saturday. He was able to participate in the Friday competition because it was before sundown. Saturday's competition, though, wasn't an option.

``I prayed about the situation,'' said Johnson, who transferred to Vance before his junior year. ``I read Scripture from both sides. I came to the conclusion that it was the right thing to do.''

``It's one thing to say `your parents said' or `the team said.' Once I looked in the Scriptures and saw for myself to keep the Sabbath day holy, then that was something I couldn't compromise with.''

Cunningham, his coach, stands by a student who stands up for his faith: ``You have to believe in a kid that has this much conviction at this early age, about something that has to deal with his religion.''

``It's very seldom that you find kids who are committed to anything, as he he is committed to his religion.