One of Russellville's junior high sports teams will have a new coach leading the way next fall.
Scott Johnson was named the new head coach for Russellville's junior high football team for the upcoming season. Johnson, who has also coached the girls golf team for Russellville, does have plenty of experience when it comes to junior high football, as he coached the sport when he was in Nebraska.
"I coached junior high football when I was a new teacher at Battle Creek, in Nebraska. I also was an assistant coach at Battle Creek and then an assistant at Crete, Nebraska for 12 years," Johnson said.
When it comes to coaching, Johnson said he likes to see when the athletes understand the concept the coaches have been trying to teach them.
"I like to see the light come on in an athlete's head when they finally get the concept that you have been trying to teach them. It shows that all the prep work is paying off," Johnson said.
With football, Johnson said he enjoys that it takes the whole team coming together to achieve its goals and that any player can contribute.
"I like that fact that it takes all 11 players on the field to be working together to accomplish your goals," Johnson said. "The best part is that it could be a different combination of players on every play. (It) gives the sense of a team when you are dealing with a bunch of different athletes working for common goals every play."
Proper tackling will be a skill the team will be working on when practices start, Johnson said. This will include focusing on the correct tackling techniques, taking proper angles to the ball carrier when tackling and working on reaction time when making decisions out on the field.
Johnson said that a goal of his is to teach the players the correct way to play football.
"(I want) to teach the athlete the correct way to play football. Proper techniques, hard work and teamwork for all players," Johnson said.