NIAAA Recognizes Ten High School Athletic Directors with Distinguished Service Awards
RSD would like to congratulate our Athletic Director, Mr. Johnny Johnson, for being chosen as one of ten individuals to be awarded the 2020 Bruce D. Whitehead Distinguished Service Awards, given by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA).
These individuals were honored last week at the virtual National Athletic Directors Conference conducted jointly by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the NIAAA, but will not receive their awards until the 2021 conference next December in Denver, Colorado.\r\n
\r\nThe Bruce D. Whitehead Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to individuals from within the NIAAA membership in recognition of their length of service, special accomplishments, and contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, state, and national levels. Nominations are submitted by state athletic directors associations, screened by the NIAAA Awards Committee, and selected by the NIAAA Board of Directors.\r\n
NIAAA_Distinguished_Service_Awards Press Release
Excerpt from Press Release-
Johnny Johnson, CMAA, has been a high school athletic administrator in Arkansas for the past 19 years after a successful career as a college basketball coach. Now in his ninth year as athletic director for the Russellville School District, Johnson first served the Little Rock School District for 11 years in the same capacity.\r\n
\r\nPrior to his time at the high school level, Johnson became the all-time winningest men’s basketball coach in College of the Ozarks history, which resulted in him being inducted into the college’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. He also served as an assistant at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR). During his three-year stint at UALR, the Trojans competed in two NCAA Tournaments and one National Invitation Tournament.\r\n
\r\nA member of the NIAAA for 18 years, Johnson has recently elevated his level of service to include time as a Section 6 representative on the NIAAA Board of Directors, a role on the Scholarship Committee – including one year as committee chairman – and responsibilities as liaison to the Sports Turf Committee and Credentials Committee. Johnson was the presider for the Opening General Session at last year’s National Athletic Directors Conference and has attended national conferences as a state delegate on five prior occasions. He is a past recipient of the State Award of Merit and was awarded an NFHS Citation in 2019.\r\n
\r\nJohnson has taken on leadership roles with the Arkansas High School Athletic Administrators Association (AHSAAA) as well, serving as president, vice president, secretary, program chair, and AHSAAA liaison to the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA). He has become a veteran AAA state tournament director, boasting experience in organizing basketball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, and track and field events at the Class 5A, 6A, and 7A levels. In addition to hosting numerous state tournaments, he has hosted several state-level events, including the State Meet of Champs for track and field and the State Special Olympics Basketball Tournament.\r\n
\r\nTwo of Johnson’s biggest accomplishments were establishing the Jammin’ For Jackets and Hoops for Hunger basketball tournaments. Johnson started the Jammin For Jackets Basketball Tournament during his tenure as the Little Rock School District athletic director. The tournament raised funds to provide letter jackets for all the first-year letter winners in all sports in the Little Rock School District. Johnson started the Hoops For Hunger Basketball Tournament in 2016 to fight hunger in the Russellville area and surrounding counties. The tournament has raised over $270,000 in the past five years.\r\n
\r\nJohnson is married to Robin Johnson, an elementary counselor in the Russellville Scholl District. They have two sons, Drake and Bryce. \r\n
\r\nCongratulations Mr. Johnson! Proud day to be a Cyclone!