He has lived the life most hockey players can only dream of. After earning numerous records and helping his team to the national championship as a freshman, he went on to play with the U.S. Olympic hockey team, followed by an 11-year tenure in the pros and a coaching position with a prominent college hockey team. And the dream continues.
Mark Johnson, the new head coach of the women's hockey team, is the man living this hockey dream.
Johnson, who competed as a forward at Wisconsin from 1976 to 1979, had an outstanding collegiate career. He helped his team to win a national championship in 1977, was a two-time first team all-Western Collegiate Hockey Association pick and earned honors as the 1978-'79 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Most Valuable Player before entering the NHL in 1980 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Some recognize the Johnson name from his star-studded career at Wisconsin, or perhaps through his father, legendary former Head Coach Bob Johnson, who coached UW from 1966 to 1982. Others, however, conjure up images of Olympic greatness. Johnson was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, often dubbed the \Miracle On Ice"" team. Johnson had two goals against the Soviet Union and notched the game-winning goal against Finland, earning the United States the gold medal.
After his stint in the Olympics, Johnson enjoyed a successful career in the NHL, playing for Pittsburgh as well as the Minnesota North Stars, the Hartford Whalers, the St. Louis Blues and the New Jersey Devils before retiring in 1990. Johnson then moved on to coaching, where he eventually took a position as an assistant with his alma mater, from 1996 to 2002. Now he is replacing Trina Bourget as the women's hockey head coach after she departed due to medical conditions.
Throughout his career, Johnson has acquired a deep knowledge and love for the game and his personality, coupled with his coaching ability, has impressed players and coaches alike. The women's hockey team, which ended its season with a 17-6-1 record in the WCHA (22-11-2 overall) and one spot out of the NCAA playoffs ('??), will look to Johnson for the leadership to get them to the Tournament.
""He doesn't expand on [his history] too much, but you can just tell in his analogies that he uses or just things he brings to practices every day that that background's there and that [he has] a wealth of knowledge,"" junior forward Meghan Hunter said.
""You just go back to what your values are and what you enjoy doing. I enjoyed teaching the game,"" Johnson said. ""I played a long time and had a very good career and you reflect back on what you liked out of certain coaches and how you liked to practice and what you liked to do as a player and you incorporate that into your coaching philosophy.""
Thus far, Johnson's pleasant countenance has shown on the ice, which has also benefitted the team.
""He brings a positive attitude to the rink every day,"" assistant coach Dan Koch said. ""His demeanor's very calm and I think the girls respect that a lot. We're a team that's going to play as a unit but we're in control and I think that comes from him.""
Koch said he believes one source of Johnson's knowledge of the game, experience and levelheaded personality is the network of hockey coaches and players he has associated with throughout his life, including his father.
""The experience that he brings most is just the knowledge of the game that he has and he's probably gotten that from all of the coaches and the people he's met in the hockey community,"" Koch said. ""He's been able to learn from some of the best coaches. ... I'm guessing his father has had the greatest impact on him.""
Johnson said his father taught him valuable lessons that he's carried onto the ice.
""Being upbeat, positive and having fun at what you do and that's, at this point, what I'm doing,"" he said.
Although Johnson is now content with his position as head coach, he still eagerly recalls his days as an Olympian and the Opening Ceremonies of the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.
""[At] Salt Lake City, it was just mind-boggling because you reflect on what the Opening Ceremonies [were] like at Lake Placid and it's just mind-boggling how far we've come and how incredible the experience was for anybody that was there or saw it on TV. But any time they put that gold medal around your neck and you hear your country's national anthem, it's just an overwhelming feeling of pride.""
