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Wyoming swimming has been a part of Tom Johnson's life for a total of 17 years now. Johnson's collegiate swimming was at the University of Wyoming for four years, spent one season as an assistant coach, and for the past 12 years has been head coach. In the past 11 seasons at the helm of the Wyoming swimming and diving program, Johnson has led the Cowboys and Cowgirls to their highest conference finishes ever and has been named conference coach of the year three times. At UW, he has seen 22 individual MWC Champions and three student athletes earn Academic All-America honors. Possibly his greatest achievement came in 2004 when he led Scott Usher to the 2004 Olympic Games. The 2008-09 season started with great momentum from the previous season. At the 2009 MWC Championships the Cowboys matched their highest finish ever in third, while the Cowgirls also placed third for their highest finish ever. Wyoming won three individual championships, broke 16 school records, had 50 performances that rank in the top-five in school history, and had 21 athletes earned all-conference. UW had great success at the conference meet, but they also posted great times and strong records in the regular season. The Cowboys finished the regular season with an overall record of 12-1, while the Cowgirls were 12-4. The Pokes' season did not go unnoticed as they received votes in the College Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) poll, and finished the season ranked 34th in the nation. In dual meets, the Cowgirls have posted a record of 28-5 over the past three seasons, and have a home pool record of 13-2. The men have also had their success the past three seasons and are 18-10 overall during the same three seasons. One of Johnson's proudest coaching moments came during the summer of 2004. Following his junior season, Wyoming's Scott Usher reached the apex of the swimming world by earning a spot on the coveted United States Olympic Team. Johnson was right by Usher's side as he wore the bucking horse swim cap and raced to a second place finish in the 200-meter breaststroke at the US Olympic Team Trials on national television. In support of Johnson and Usher, the Cowboy Joe Club, along with a local business, raised enough money to send Johnson to the Olympic Games where he watched Usher reach the finals of the 200-meter breaststroke and swim to a seventh place finish in the world. In all, Johnson helped guide Usher to four First Team All-America honors, five overall All-America honors and six MWC Championships during his career at UW. Johnson's coaching philosophy emphasizes making student-athletes strong individuals in and out of the pool. "I am goal oriented and success driven," said Johnson. "I want our student-athletes to have the opportunity to graduate from UW with their heads held high and know that they have made a significant impact on this program and at this school." The success Wyoming has had in the pool has been matched in the classroom. In fact, over the past four years, 11 UW swimmers and diver have earned Academic All-District VII honors from ESPN the Magazine and CoSIDA. Recently, Aimee Stinson and Tyler Miller were each Academic All-District VII following both the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 seasons. Emily Huth joined this list following her junior season in 2008-09. Johnson has also coached five individual Academic All-Americans in his time at Wyoming. Aimee Stinson was honored in 2007-08, Kevin Bretting, the current head diving coach under Johnson, was honored following the 2006-07 season, Erin Spadinger earned the honor following the 2005-06 season and Alex Larkin in 2008-09. Current Cowgirl Lesley Young has been awarded twice in her career as well. His Cowboy and Cowgirl teams have been honored academically by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America and named Academic All-America teams numerous times. The achievements his teams have made in the pool and classroom over the past 11 seasons are helping Johnson to continue to build the Wyoming swimming and diving program. "Our student-athletes understand where this program is headed and the success it can accomplish and they want to be a part of that," said Johnson. A native of Camillus, N.Y., Johnson was a four-year Wyoming letterwinner as he swam for the Cowboys from 1982-85. Prior to becoming the head swimming and diving coach at Wyoming in 1998, Johnson was the head coach and program director for the Birmingham Swim League in Birmingham, Ala., from the novice level to Olympic trial qualifiers. He guided the Birmingham Swim League from 1994 to 1997, and had 16 swimmers go on to compete at the NCAA Division I level across the United States. After lettering at UW, and ending his swimming career as the school record holder in the 200 breaststroke, Johnson became an assistant coach at Wyoming during the 1985-86 season. In 1987-88, he became the head coach at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. The following year, he returned to his native state of New York as the head coach for the Liverpool Jets Swim Club in Syracuse. From 1989-94, he was the head coach of the Fort Collins Area Swim Team. Johnson earned a number of awards during his coaching career before to coming to Wyoming. He was named Colorado Swimming Coach of the Year in 1993, was selected as a coach for the United States Swimming's Select Camps at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs in 1993, `94, `96 and `97, and was named the Southeastern Swimming Coach of the year in 1996. He has achieved a Level 5 certification by the American Swimming Coaches Association, the highest level of certification, and is also a USS and NCAA Division I Level 5 certified coach. Johnson is also a USA Swimming National Team Coach. Johnson and his wife, Cheryl, a native of Cheyenne, have two children, Tommy and Alexandra. |
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