That Was Alvis Johnson — Firm, Courageous, Strong and Loving

Alvis Johnson with his son Derrick at a UK football game.

How do you start to find the words to let others know what Alvis Johnson meant to you and so many others? I worried about that after Dennis Johnson asked me to speak today and was not quite sure what to say but then it hit me even before I knew Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman would be here or my youngest grandson, Colby, who didn’t even know Alvis but heard so much about him that he wanted to attend. Then I realized I didn’t have to  worry because all of you already know the  unbelievable legacy this man we all loved left behind and how that legacy will be remembered forever.

So I just thought I would share a few of my many, many Alvis Johnson memories from the last 50 years and hopefully my allergies will not bother me while I do or if they do, I apologize in advance.

I think back to 1977 when Alvis had a friend with his own plane who offered to take him to Baton Rouge to see the UK-LSU football game. I am not sure why but Johnson invited me to come along and also invited assistant coach David Feeback. This was the only time I ever really saw Alvis in panic mode when his friend let his wife fly the plan.  I still remember Alvis looking over and telling me we were going to land in the water. I thought he was joking until I looked out the window. It looked like we were and when Alvis gripped my arm I thought he was going to break it he was squeezing so tight. Obviously we didn’t hit the water but when Alvis was scared, I was scared.

Now we all know Alvis is a man of enormous faith. However, I hate to tell you this but coach Johnson did not always tell the truth — or at least not when he talked to the media. When I would do pregame stories he would always make it sound like his Pioneers were going to play the Dallas Cowboys. He made it sound like if Harrodsburg could just survive, it would be a miracle. Instead, his team would usually win big and he would act surprised but he never changed. He always undersold his team.

But what I loved even more about Alvis was how he could never let himself be totally happy after a win. I still remember one game where his team won by about 50 points and I told him I thought his team played great. He looked at me and said, “We gave up 30 yards.” What. I thought he was joking. I told him his team had over 400 yards and won by 50 points. But Johnson fired back, ‘We gave up two first downs and 30 yards. We got to do better.’” I am sure anyone who ever played for him heard the same analysis from him as he always wanted his men to continue to strive to do more and he pushed them to do that.

Some of you may not know that in his younger days Alvis also liked to spend a few nights watching the horses race at The Red Mile. We tried to go several times each summer before either of us had children. I am not even sure Rosetta knew how good Alvis was at picking winners because we kind of kept that information between us. I swear he knew every groom and stable worker at The Red Mile and he would talk to them all when we got to the race track. They all loved Alvis and if they had information they thought he needed to know about the horses racing that night they always told him and that helped us pick a lot more winners than we ever would have on our own or ever told anyone that we did win.

Alvis was always gracious in defeat. He never blamed anyone but himself. It didn’t matter how good the opponent was or even if there had been a questionable call or two during the game. He just blamed himself. But the saddest I ever saw him was after a semifinal playoff loss at Heath in 1975 to end his first season as head coach. I am sure any long-time Harrodsburg fan remembers the inadvertent whistle that cost Harrodsburg the win. I just happened to be riding the team charter bus and that four-hour ride back home was brutal and was the only time I saw Johnson cry. I thought he was mad over the bad call but he told me he just felt bad for his young men and how much he really wanted to win a state championship to thank those in Harrodsburg who hired him.

That care and compassion is what made Alvis more than a coach. He was a mentor and a great teacher. He was beloved not only by those who played for him or coached with him but also thought he competed against him. He was always willing to help athletes from any school or share coaching expertise with any coach. He loved helping young coaches.

Sandi Feeback Parkey told me her father always told her Alvis was hired at Harrodsburg in 1974 not because of the color of his skin but for the context of his character. I truly believe Alvis was color blind. He just saw people,  not colors even though it was not always easy being an African-American head coach in the 1970’s and 1980’s. But he just kept being Alvis Johnson.

My father has been gone 27 years now but he thought Alvis Johnson could never do any wrong.  My dad’s favorite coaches were E.G. Plummer and Alvis Johnson. He always said Alvis was one of the best men he had ever known. Hopefully they are looking down today smiling and my Dad is telling Alvis it’s okay for us all to be making this fuss over him because we all know Alvis would not have wanted that.

I am so glad Alvis got to see his grandson, Jasper, get to play in the state tournament and it was obvious what that meant to him. We often talked about how blessed we both were to have grandchildren we loved so much and how we would do anything for any of them.

I loved that man and loved his family. His passing hurts. Rosetta, Dennis, Derrick and others are going to miss him daily just like I have my father for 27 years. But that’s okay because he was a treasure that should be cherished and loved.

I knew I needed a strong closing so I reached out to my friend, pastor Griffin Phillips Ray of First Presbyterian Church in London, for guidance. She did not know Alvis but I told her about him and she said she felt the perfect scripture verses could be found in First Corinthians, Chapter 16, verses 13-14, and I agreed.

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.”

That was Alvis Johnson — firm, courageous, strong and loving.