300 and counting: Longtime Colony soccer coach hits another milestone

PALMER — Jeremy Johnson has hit a number of milestones during his 23 years as head coach of the Colony High School boys’ soccer team.

In April of 2005, with a 4-0 victory over South Anchorage, Johnson earned his 100th win as Colony’s head coach. In May of 2012, Johnson hit 200 career victories with a 2-0 win over Wasilla. Now, Johnson is a member of the 300-win club.

Late last month, Colony’s 5-0 victory over rival Palmer marked the 300th boys’ soccer victory of Johnson’s coaching career.

Johnson said he’s proud to reach the latest milestone, but said his perspective has certainly changed over the years.

“The first, 100, and even 200, I felt like, ya, I did it,” Johnson said. “But the older I’ve got, it’s not an ‘I’ thing. It’s a ‘we’ thing.”

The milestone has led as much to reflection, Johnson said, as celebration.

“I just look back and think about all of the great players and teams,” Johnson said.

Johnson, now 43, said he now sees the milestone as sort of a tribute to the players and coaches who have been with him during his career, and those who have supported the program. It also has to do with the support from the parents of his athletes, and the other coaches who have helped his athletes become talented soccer players before they reach Colony High.

“I’m the lucky one. I got to be here and get the benefits of those kids coming through the program,” Johnson said.

Johnson was the third Alaska prep soccer boys head coach to hit 100 wins, joining longtime Juneau-Douglas head coach Gary Lenhart and former Chugiak mentor Ed Blahouse.

Johnson’s 100th, 200th and 300th career victories each have added significance. His 100th came against state power South. His 200th came against rival Wasilla, on the night Colony hosted its final match on grass. The field turf at CHS was installed in the weeks following the match. And his 300th came against his alma mater, Palmer High.

“That was kind of cool. Every started at Palmer High,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s mother, Sandi, was the first girls’ soccer coach at Palmer High.

“The first thing I ever did, I was the ball boy for the 1986 Palmer girls team,” Johnson said.

Johnson, a 1992 graduate of Palmer High School, became the head coach of the Colony boys program in 1995. In 23 years, Johnson has led the Knights to 11 Northern Lights Conference titles and two state championships.

During the offseason, Johnson added to his list of coaching duties at Colony High. He was named the head coach of the Knights girls’ program. In his first season coaching both teams, Johnson led both the boys and girls to the NLC title matches. His girls’ squad earned the conference titles, and both teams qualified for the state tournament, which started Thursday in Anchorage.

Johnson is now coaching full-time.

“Soccer is how I make my living,” Johnson said.

In addition to his work at Colony High, Johnson is also the Anchorage Youth Soccer Club’s director of coaching and is also a coach within the Alaska Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program.

“All I do is coach soccer. It’s wonderful. I love it,” Johnson said.

And Johnson said he doesn’t foresee having the desire to leave Colony anytime soon.

“I keep joking, the Colony High field is a football field. The only way they are going to name the field after me is if I die out here. So I got to keep going,” Johnson said with a laugh.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.