RIDGEWOOD
For Michael Johnson, the idea of no foot-
ball in his life for the first time since second
grade was staring him in the face. From junior
football to playing for his dad, Chuck Johnson,
at Ridgewood High School, to four years at
Williams College, the ride was coming to
an end.
Not quite.
It just so happened that there was a gradu-
ate assistant position open on the Ridgewood
staff, and just like that Mike’s football resume
had another entry.
“If we don’t do it now then we’ll never do
it,” was how he put it to his dad, and the stu-
dent was now the teacher. While Chuck liked
to call him the “general go-fer,” Mike’s role
was bigger than that.
“He ran the scout teams for us,” Chuck says.
“The sophomores really took to him and he
did a great job of getting them prepared for
their job. It was a huge part of our season.”
Working side by side, they saw Ridgewood
complete a 12-0 season, winning the North 1
Group 5 sectional title and earning the first
perfect season in 60 years.
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APRIL/MAY 2017 | (201) FAMILY
Mike Johnson
son and Ridgewood assistant football coach
“I sure picked an incredible year to do it,”
Mike says. “It was a tremendous high week
after week and just an amazing season to
share with my dad.”
After graduating from Williams last spring
with a degree in math and psychology, Mike
did what many kids today do – he elected to
take some time to unwind after 17 years of
schooling.
“Some kids go to Europe,” Chuck says.
“Mikey became a coach.”
In many ways, it was a continuation of
his education. In an age where interpersonal
relationships take a back seat to tweets
and texts, coaching became an avenue to
enhancing his communication skills.
“I learned so much about public speak-
ing and leadership qualities,” Mike says.
“Standing up in front of the players and
giving speeches, motivating them, giving
them guidance and encouragement, it was
a whole new experience. I really feel like it
was the perfect lead in to what comes next
in my life.”
That will be the world of wealth manage-
ment, be it on Wall Street or with another
major firm. Having spent the past year work-
ing in the Ridgewood school system working
with special needs students and tutoring, he is
ready for that next chapter. The coaching bug
still sits on his mind, however.
“I don’t know where it will go,” Mike says.
The graduate assistant job has been passed to
another Maroon alumnus, but you can expect
to see him roaming the sidelines on game
nights, adding his eyes and insight.
“One thing I learned is how hard this coach-
ing staff works,” Mike says. “That is the reason
for the continued success at Ridgewood. It’s
a huge commitment and one that would be
difficult to continue with a new job, but to be
even a small part of it on game nights would
be great.”
– JIM MCCONVILLE
201magazine.com
RIDGEWOOD
JOHNSON & JOHNSON
“IT WAS A TREMENDOUS HIGH WEEK AFTER WEEK AND
JUST AN AMAZING SEASON TO SHARE WITH MY DAD.”