Johnson’s career first started when he couldn’t find the right sport that was both challenging enough and one that suited his interests. Johnson has always been good at fighting, but he never gave it a second thought until his dad suggested he try it out. Johnson has been boxing for four years, two of which were with HACP Boxing located in Round Lake. 

With Johnson’s experience and natural talent, he inevitably got promoted to a coaching position. Johnson coaches a wide range of ages, usually four to 47.

“I wanted to help kids learn how to defend themselves and also teach them a way of discipline,” Johnson said. “I wanted younger kids to have a coach closer to their age so they can relate to the coach and also have someone their age they feel like they can talk to if they’re scared of talking to adults.” 

Having previous babysitting jobs helped Johnson to communicate and better deal with challenging situations. Teaching what goes through his head during a fight is another crucial part of coaching.

“You just hear what you and your coach are [saying], and you hear your heavy breathing, you just gotta focus during it.¨

The sport of boxing is all about trying not to get hit and, in return, hitting the other person back to win. Even when Johnson loses a fight, it motivates him to keep going and not give up, inspiring his younger students who follow him as an inspiration to follow. Coaching can come in many different shapes and sizes, but Johnson and his boxing studio are one of the safest organizations. With coaches watching every move.

“We are definitely the safest boxing gym in America, for sure, because we don’t leave anything unsupervised.”

Having multiple coaches supervise every move ensures that there aren’t any injuries or fights lasting longer than they should.

 Being a coach can come with many responsibilities and priorities, but being a coach who happens to be in high school is even tougher. Balancing school, fitness, and relationships can be a struggle for many students, but Johnson makes sure that he is dedicated to teaching by always ensuring that he gets school done first and then focuses on doing his best in the ring. Although Johnson no longer actively competes, boxing has helped shape the person he is today.