Photo by: Andrew Fielding
Erik Johnson, the women’s basketball head coach for the past three years, has established a winning program at DU, while overcoming familial tragedy that shook his family as well as his team.
Under his tutelage the team has enjoyed lots of success, including clinching a first round bye in his first season as coach back in 2008-09, which resulted in the clubs appearance in the semi-finals of Sun Belt Conference tournament. In addition, the program recorded its first win in school history over a ranked opponent on Dec. 5.
However, this season success’ have been coupled with remorse off the court as Johnson has had to deal with a personal tragedy that happened eight months ago.
On May 6, 2010, the coach’s 4-year old son, Davis James Johnson, passed away due to an undiagnosed precondition that led to a twisting of his small intestine.
Davis Johnson was a spirited little boy, who was the Pioneers’ biggest fan, according to his father and several assistants. The players were tremendously close to him and they have been there for Johnson and his family every step of the way.
For Davis’s 3rd birthday, he invited the entire team over to watch “High School Musical” and munch on macaroni and cheese.
“At one point, he turned to everybody and said, ‘This is the best birthday ever,'” Johnson said. “It was a wonderful thing to say and ended up being very prophetic.”
Johnson and his family have continued to stay strong, but even throughout DU there are reminders of little Davis. The players dedicate themselves to Davis every game by wearing his initials on their jerseys and saving a locker for him.
“You have to take time to miss him, to grieve, to cry. You also have to remember the good stuff, and keep living your life the way he would`ve wanted us to live our lives. The way he wanted to live his.”
The tragedy garnished lots of support, the coach says, something he will always cherish.
“The amount of love and support my family received after the death of my son was incredible. I love being here professionally and personally,” said Johnson.
Johnson’s families–the one on the hardwood and the one off it–have coped with the youngster’s passing together, and as the DU community rallies behind them, the coach insists his team form its own community of support.
“They are great kids so they really established a culture. The new players come in and the older ones teach them about the program, so the players know the expectations,” said Johnson.
Another important backbone to the program’s increasing success is the team’s coaching staff, a group of assistants that Johnson believes he “hit a home run” obtaining.
In 2008, Johnson came to Denver following an assistant gig at Boston College. He brought assistant head coach Yvonne Hawkins with him from Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Despite his transition from assistant to head coach, Hawkins says her colleague has remained the same.
“He is still the same guy and our friendship is still solid. His coaching style is to be tremendously fair. He is not a big screamer; he is intense, but he gives the kids a lot of credit and actually takes a lot on himself,” said Hawkins.
As one of the top Division I teams in Colorado, Johnson has ambitious goals for the future of DU hoops. He hopes to guide his team to the NCAA tournament and concentrates on being a post-season team this season.
In early March, DU will play in the SBC Tournament and Johnson plans to dominate and earn the conference’s automatic bid.
