The football field where Mercer County plays is named the Alvis Johnson Field in honor of long-time Harrodsburg coach Alvis Johnson who passed on Saturday.
Kentucky high school sports lost a man who has been a fixture for almost 50 years in various capacities with the passing of Alvis Johnson of Harrodsburg Saturday at age 77.
Johnson came to Harrodsburg High school as athletics director, football coach and track coach in 1974 through 1997. He became an assistant athletics director at the University of Kentucky in 1998.
He was inducted into the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1992 and into the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s Dawahares/KHSAA Hall of Fame in 2004 — two honors he deserved for many, many reasons.
He was the high school track coach of the year eight times and in 1977 was named the Kellogg Corporation National Track Coach of the Year. In 1991 and 1996 he was named the state football coach of the year.. Johnson had close to 50 athletes play Division I sports.
He was the first African-American head football coach in our area — and still one of the few we have had — and was the first African-American to serve as president of the National Federation of High School Athletics Board of Directors. He was also on the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Board of Control for eight years including a stint as president.
I could talk and write about Johnson for hours. I watched his athletes win state track championships. I watched his football team get so close to state championships. I watched his sons, Derrick and Dennis, blossom into star athletes who went on to play Division I football and are now coaching together at Woodford County.
Johnson and I used to take several trips per summer to The Red Mile in Lexington before we became parents and I loved these nights out with him.
I always respected the passion he had for academics as well as athletics. So many times he told he life lessons were part of athletic lessons and that sometimes resulted in “tough” love even for his star athletes.
I loved this man and his family. If I ever needed anything, I knew he would help. But he was that way with everyone. If he could help, he would whether it was as a coach, teacher, administrator or successful businessman like he became.
William Warfield of Prep Spin probably comes in contact with more coaches and athletes across Kentucky now than anyone I know. He was a huge Alvis Johnson fan.
“Sad day in Kentucky. Alvis was a great man. His legacy will live on but he will sure be missed. Prayers to the Johnson family,” Warfield posted on Twitter.
He’s right. His legacy will stay with us through not only what his family members continue to do but what so many others he coached or taught or befriended will continue to do.
Rest in peace my friend.
13 Responses
If you were his friend you thought you were “his best friend”. That’s just the way he made you feel. Rosetta is the same way.
You got that right Don
Alvis was a good man and mentor to so many athletes and students. My prayers go out to Rosetta and the boys as they grieve over their loss.
Coach Johnson was my track coach at Harrodsburg High School, my US History teacher, my assistant Principal, and my friend. He was an outstanding influence in my life…so respected in our community and state! My all time favorite memory of him must be shared. He would walk the halls (at HHS) in a Santa suit at Christmastime. He will remain my all time favorite elf.
God bless you Debbie for sharing this and you are so right about him
Coach Johnson was the best . he was taught me a lot on the playing field . but he taught me in the classroom . lessons i still use today and have passed along to my own children . Rest in Peace coach .
Well said Patrick
Alvis Johnson was gentle giant. He cared about people and made every effort to help anyone that he could help. There is no one I respected more than Alvis. May God watch over Rosetta, Dennis an Derrick. Kentucky has lost a great leader.
With you on that Tom Brown
I didn’t know Mr. Johnson as well as my brother Jeff but Jeff always bragged on him and his family. The legacy that he leaves will endure the test of time because of the many lives that he has touched in his life.
May God bless and keep his family, much love and respect,
John Perkins .
You got that right John
Coach Johnson always, unless we were acting foolish, called us MEN even though we were just boys. I could not see it then, why he called us men, but I can see it now. Coach was teaching, mentoring, molding, shaping and changing us to be MEN. That is so much more than just teaching us how to play a sport. Thanks coach………May God bless you and keep you family is my prayer.
You are right. It was almost always Men