“Our former assistant coach Bill Salsberry resigned from the job, so we needed to find a new assistant coach,” said head coach Marc Rukavina. Rukavina was the first to approach Johnson for the job.

“Mr. Rukavina has been sending out feelers since the beginning of the year,” said Johnson.

Before being approached for the assistant coaching job, Johnson had had two prior head coaching jobs already this year. In the fall, he was the head coach of the girls tennis team, and in the winter, he was the head coach of the boys hockey team.

“Since he coached the girls tennis team, he knows the game and can help us out,” said junior Zachary Bailey. Bailey has been on the team since freshman year. The team seems to be reacting positively to having Johnson as the new assistant coach.

“It’s going to be different since we had an old, but cool assistant coach last year, but I think coach Johnson will work us hard and keep pushing us,” said Bailey. Johnson is also excited to work with the boys on the team.

“I have met some of the players and had some of them in class, and they seem like a good group. They seem excited, too,” said Johnson. Not only is Johnson excited to work with the new team, he is also excited to work with another teacher.

“I think it will be fun to work with another teacher outside of the classroom,” said Johnson. Although Johnson is excited to work with another teacher, Rukavina is excited to work with him too.

“Mr. Johnson is very enthusiastic. That is very important to have in an assistant coach,” said Rukavina. Johnson’s role with the team will be mainly focused on keeping the team in shape.

“Mr. Johnson has a great background in physical fitness so he will help keep the team in shape,” said Rukavina. That will not be Johnson’s only role with the team.

“An assistant coaches job is to basically assist in tennis. He is there to make sure everything goes well and runs smoothly,” said Rukavina. Rukavina is also glad that he knows the players.

“Having an assistant coach who is also a teacher is great because he knows the students,” said Rukavina. Players seem to have mixed feelings about the change in pace the sport is taking.

“I’m excited, but not at the same time. I’m excited because he will help the team and get us into shape, and not because it is going to be work, but work is not a bad thing by any means,” said Bailey. Johnson can not wait for the season to get started.

“I think that they [the boys] underestimate how much I like hard work.”