In the morning, it’s life lessons and lectures, and in the evening, it’s whistles and strategies. The life of a teacher and coach is a blend of academics and athletics. In Green Hope, there are many teachers who juggle both their academic involvement and athletic involvement, like Coach Mitch Johnson. Coach Johnson joined Green Hope in May 2024. As a Healthful Living and Weight Training teacher, he promotes wellbeing and wellness, and as head football coach, he shapes both the mental and physical health of his students and players. 

Talking about his inspiration to join the Green Hope staff as a coach and a teacher, he said, “ I wanted to be on the front lines of shaping future generations for our society,” adding more to this, “I also had some really good mentors and head coaches in high school and in college and that really made me want to go the route of being a coach.” 

The weight room is not just a place to build muscles or lift weights; it is a place where culture is built. Adding more to this, Coach Johnson said, “The weight room is the most honest room in the building, where you teach kids life skills that they can use for the rest of their lives.” Discussing the most rewarding part of teaching Weight Training, he said that watching students hit their personal records and realize that they are capable of more than they imagined keeps him motivated to shape their future. 

Being healthy plays an important role in day-to-day life. Coach Johnson also emphasized that the basic necessities for good health are hydration, sleep, nutrition and discipline. He also said, “If students want to be the best version of themselves, then they have to make the right choices about what they put into their bodies, how they live their lives and their intention and discipline that should make up every action and decision.”

On the football field, Johnson has already seen his players gain confidence and determination. One of the most memorable moments came in a game against Athens Drive, where the team overcame a deficit to win. “It was an ultimate test of our program’s culture,” he said. “In the past, they might have given up, but this time they fought all the way to the end. That let me know that they were really buying in.”

For Coach Johnson, football is more than winning. It is about developing relationships and resilience. He encourages his players to make history by writing their own narrative and reminds them that the path of least resistance may be good for the short term, but the harder path brings long-term rewards. Adding more to this, he also said, “I hope they understand that they have built a brotherhood for life and they are never alone.” 

Balancing time as a teacher and coach requires some careful time management and planning. Talking about his time management, Johnson said that he focuses on “being efficient with your time but also prioritizing and understanding what needs to be done.” He also shared that overestimating the amount of time it’s going to take to get something done has helped him a lot to complete his work efficiently. Relating work in the classroom and on the field, Johnson said, “The intensity on the field translates to the weight room and the accountability and attention to detail inside the classroom helps when it comes to being on a tense field.”

Above all, his message to students and athletes remains simple: “Trust the process.”

Coach Johnson’s passion for teaching, coaching and mentoring students has already left an impression at Green Hope. Through the teaching of discipline, health and teamwork, he is not only equipping the next generation to succeed at school but to approach the challenges of life in general with confidence and resilience.