Tom Johnson hits the 700 milestone, but it is not just about the victories

Tom Johnson with his team after winning game No. 700 of his high school coaching career

Updated 2/2/2025 Noon, 6:15 PM

(Editor’s note: I previously wrote about Tom Johnson in 2021 here.)

GRESHAM — If there is a more unassuming rock star than Tom Johnson, this member of the Fourth Estate has not yet met him.

Johnson was the toast of the Oregon prep basketball world Friday night, notching his 700th career victory with Barlow’s 91-46 rout of Reynolds in the Bruins’ gym.

The gym was packed on this momentous occasion that thrust Johnson into rarified air in the annals of the state’s high school basketball. Among those attending were nearly 50 of Johnson’s players through his 42 years as a head coach — 39 at Barlow. One of them, Dave Gillot, played for Johnson during the first season of his coaching career at Lebanon.

“That was very nice,” Johnson told me Saturday morning. “I am honored so many people took the time to come out.”

After the final horn sounded, there was a brief ceremony to commemorate the accomplishment. Johnson got a standing ovation as Barlow athletic director Dan Dalzell said a few words and presented the coach with an honorary game ball signed by his assistant coaches and players. Johnson kept his remarks short, took a few photos with his squad and conducted interviews with the considerable media in attendance.

Barlow athletic director Dan Dalzell presents an honorary game ball to Johnson after his 700th career win

Most of the media are reporting that Johnson moved into fourth place on the all-time list, but I draw a distinction between those coaching smaller schools (currently 1A through 4A) and the larger schools (5A and 6A).

The way I frame it: Johnson — 700-349 in 39 years at Barlow and three years at Lebanon — has moved into second place on the big-schools list behind only Mike Doherty, who was 850-390 at nine schools in 50 years of coaching from 1963-2012. Johnson, 67, has climbed in front of Nick Robertson (699-310 in 41 years from 1965-2005) and Dennis Murphy (698-213 in 36 years from 1975-82 and 1988-2016).

In 2021, shortly after Johnson had notched his 600th career victory, I wrote that if Johnson coaches until he is 70, he could join Doherty as the only members of the 700 club. I sold the Barlow coach short. Didn’t take him nearly that long.

“I am humbled to be mentioned in the same sentence as Mike Doherty and Nick Robertson and Barry Adams,” Johnson says. “Nick, in particular, was a mentor to me as a young coach.”

(Two other Oregon high school coaches have eclipsed 700 wins at small schools — Gary Hull and Craig Rothenberger. Hull retired after the 2023-24 season at 2A Western Christian; Rothenberger retired after the 2022-23 season at 4A Junction City.)

Johnson’s current Barlow team ranks among his best. The Bruins are 15-1 and ranked No. 1 in the 6A ranks, losing only an early-season matchup with Jesuit. His players weren’t going to let him not get No. 700 Friday night. Reynolds hung around for a quarter, trailing only 20-15. Over the next two quarters, the Raiders were outscored 58-17. Johnson unloaded his bench and sat his starters the entire final period.

Afterward, there was a reception in the school cafeteria, and Johnson graciously visited with each and every well-wisher there to shake his hand and offer congratulations. In the hours since, he received dozens of text messages, many of them fellow coaches throughout the state.

“There is a good fraternity in the coaching ranks in Oregon and a level of mutual respect,” Johnson explains. “Everyone wants to win, but I have a high level of respect for anybody who coaches high school basketball.”

Johnson, in character, showed little emotion through Friday evening’s festivities. On Saturday, I suggest to him that he seemed almost embarrassed by all the hubbub.

“In some ways, I was,” he says. Pause. “I have always felt high school basketball should be about the players and not the coaches.”

And how does he feel about getting to 700?

“I am glad it is over,” he confides. “I just want to get back to coaching basketball.”

This is not false modesty. There is a genuine humility in the man, a quality that those who know him consider just as important as his considerable coaching ability, which has helped him win more than two-thirds of his games.

“As good a coach as he is,” says Fred Jones, a former player who would go on to play seven NBA seasons, “he is a better person. He is one of the best people I have met in my life.”

It is a sentiment that is expressed over and over by people interviewed for this story. It is the essence of what Tom Johnson is about.

“Tom has brought so much to high school basketball in Oregon,” former Jefferson High coach Pat Strickland says. “When it is all said and done, he is going to be one of those names brought out as a ‘GOAT’ (greatest of all time) in Oregon.”

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Barlow’s players salute their coach’s monumental achievement

Johnson got an early start to his head-coaching career, not long after his years playing ball as a heady point guard at Roosevelt High, Clark Community College and Oregon College of Education (now Western Oregon). In 1983, at age 25, he was named head coach at Lebanon High. He stayed there for three seasons, going 40-26 in the then-formidable Valley League. Then, at 27, he got the head job at Barlow. Nearly four decades later, he remains at the Bruin helm, going stronger than ever, at 700 wins and counting.

“I can’t believe it, I really can’t,” says Pat Coons, a close friend of Johnson’s and the head coach at Westview for 23 seasons. “To do it almost entirely at one school is phenomenal, particularly in this day and age ... I know Tom is unbelievably loyal to his school and to his kids, but that number blows me away.”

In his 39 seasons at Barlow, Johnson’s teams have averaged nearly 17 victories a year. For much of that time, the Bruins were playing only 22 regular-season games a season; in recent years it has been 24 or 25. The winning has been consistent. Johnson’s Barlow teams have won 11 league titles and have reached the state semifinals five times, the last time in 2023. The 1995-96 team, led by Jones, lost to South Salem in the state finals.

Johnson got to coach his two sons: Drew, an all-state selection in 2008-09, and Jared, all-league as a senior in 2011-12. Then there are the hundreds of other boys he took under his wing and helped develop, both as players and young men.

“He was like a father to me, one of the best people I have met in my life,” Jones says.

“TJ is not only a great basketball coach, he is a great man,” former Barlow football coach Terry Summerfield says. “He teaches kids about life.”

“Coach’s legacy at Barlow has been amazing,” says Johnson’s star point guard, senior Jalen Atkins, who happens to be Fred Jones’ godson. “To be able to learn from him, and the mentorship he provides for all of us guys —  I am just blessed to be part of his history. He has impacted so many guys through the years. I mean, it has been generations. It goes to show what type of coach he is, and the type of man he is.

“I am grateful to him, I am happy for him, and I know he has much more left in him.”

Johnson concluded his teaching career at Barlow after the 2023-24 academic year, though he has occasionally substituted this school year. For most of his career he taught English literature. He loves to read and enjoys poetry.

“Each week in my classes, we would study a poem and dissect it,” he says. “I am not a good writer, but I know good writing when I see it.”

Johnson believes it is best that coaches have a day job at the school they are coaching.

“A lot of (Barlow’s) coaches have been educators who were in the building for many years,” he says. “I have always felt that is very important, especially as a head coach. That is one of the things I miss (being retired). There are certain days I will go up to school around lunchtime so I can connect with players.”

Johnson collects motivational thoughts in a notebook, designed to impart life lessons to his players.

“I have more than 100 of them,” Johnson says. He usually delivers them before practice sessions; sometimes after.

“They are short,” he says. “Sometime they are quotes from athletes or leaders. We do them almost daily. Just something for them to think about.”

It is part of an ethic in which Johnson strongly believes.

“Every student in the U.S. has the right to an education, but not every student has the right to participate in extracurricular activities like sports,” he says. “To be involved in those is a privilege, and with privilege comes responsibility.

“As a basketball coach, you are working with kids who are passionate about being there. It’s not like my freshman English class at 7:30 in the morning. These kids want to play basketball. They are excited to be there. When you are working with kids who are passionate about something, you need to teach more than just the fundamentals of the game. There is no better way to teach character lessons than in athletics. It’s the best motivational tool we have for young people.”

Johnson is quick to deflect praise for his success to those who have worked under him.

“The coaching staff I have had through the years has been outstanding,” he says.

Assistant coach Gene Saling has been on his staff for 35 years. The other varsity assistants, Todd Nagel and former player Graham Bledsoe, have considerable experience on Johnson’s staff, too. He has had the same freshman coach, Terry Calhoun, for more than 20 years. Ron Jones served on his staff for 23 years, Bill Evans for 17, Trent Inglesby for seven.

“Tom is terrific to work with,” Saling says. “I have been around all of his assistant coaches starting back in 1986-87, the year before I came on board. The assistants have always been given the respect of being treated like they are an important part of the program, from the varsity down to the freshman level.”

And even lower. For more than two decades, area middle school PE teachers Ron Hudson and Mike Reed served as coaches for Barlow’s feeder program.

“When kids come to Barlow, they have an understanding of the discipline it takes to be a high-school athlete,” Johnson says. “Because of those two guys, the transition from middle school to high school was smooth. They would practice from 6:30 to 8:30 in the morning. If you got there at 6:31, you didn’t play the first half of the next game. Didn’t matter if it’s the kid’s fault or the parents’. Our kids come into Barlow with a level of discipline.”

Johnson has lived in the same house for 32 years, located five minutes from Barlow. His presence fosters a loyalty in the community that runs deep. Grade-school kids grow up hoping to one day play for him. He has watched countless youth games through his decades at the school.

“I have known many of the kids I coach since they were in second or third grade,” he says.

“When I was in middle school, I was there the night Coach got No. 600,” 6-6 center Mason Bierbrauer says. “I remember it was at Centennial. It’s crazy. He has been here for so long. Super impressive.”

Saling says Johnson is doing it with “Barlow kids.”

“We have kids living in the Barlow district,” Saling says. “None are transfers, or recruits, or kids going from one school to the next, trying to find the right fit. We are facing teams that have multiple transfers. It is hard to fight that. Sometimes a team can be pretty good with its roster and then come up with two really talented kids from other schools. That is happening all the time nowadays.

“We have had transfers over the years, but not to the extent that some other schools have. Tom has been successful doing it with kids he has known as far back as second or third grade. That is an undervalued part of the success he has had. A lot of these kids were coming to his camps when they were barely out of diapers, learning the skills you want them to learn. They get to us knowing exactly what he expects out of them. We are old-school that way.”

For the most part, Johnson has had strong parental support through his time at Barlow.

“Some of that is because of my longevity,” he says. “But also, at our parent meetings I make sure they understand the importance of my coaching philosophy.

“High school athletics is a great metaphor for life. With athletics comes a lot of highs and lows — more tears than joy, more sadness than happiness. I always tell them before the season, your son will have an experience this year. It may not always be the experience he wants to have, but he will have an experience. And hopefully he can use that to better himself somewhere down the path of life.”

Johnson is now coaching sons of men who played for him at Barlow.

“I had five on one team a few years ago,” he says.

“There are some dads of players on this team who played for Tom,” Dalzell says. “They want to stay in this community and have their sons play for the same coach they played for.”

Dalzell smiles and shakes his head.

“What is in the back of my mind is, I can’t imagine replacing Tom Johnson,” he says. “He has made an impact on generations.”

One of those fathers is Josh Atkins, a former teammate and best friend of Fred Jones. Josh’s son is Jalen Atkins.

“That is why we are here,” the senior Atkins says. “That is why we stayed locally — to have Jalen play for Tom. I didn’t want him to play for anyone else. It has been a delight.”

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Johnson, talking with his players during a timeout, has only one hole on his resume — no state championships

I reached out to many of those who have played with, coached with or coached against Johnson through the years for their observations.

Jesse White was a star guard on Barlow’s teams from 2018-20 and is the school’s career scoring leader. He is now a senior and leading scorer at Rockhurst, a Division II program in Kansas City, Mo. It is White’s third school in four years of college.

“I am glad (Johnson) is getting accolades for reaching this milestone,” says White, who was valedictorian of his senior class at Barlow. “He deserves it. He does everything the right way. Getting a taste of a lot of other coaches after TJ, the biggest thing that separates him is the care factor that goes along with being on his team. He really cares about his players. If he weren’t such a genuine guy and had that reputation for so long, people would probably question if it’s real. Well, it is.

“I would have a bad game or a bad practice, and he would come over and watch some basketball, have some dinner, hang out and get your mind off of those things. He meant the world to me and still does. He still texts and calls me. Our relationship goes way beyond basketball. I couldn’t ask for a better high school coach.”

Jones has had the same kind of personal connection.

“Coach changed my life in a lot of ways,” says the 6-4 guard, now 45 and living in Las Vegas, where he works for Collecting Dust, a company specializing in trading cards and sports memorabilia. “I love him to death. He was always great to me. He would pick me up in early morning and take me to the gym. He went above and beyond as a coach for me. That is what he does for everybody, and that is why he has gotten to the (wins) number that he is at.

“Coach met with my mom and dad all the time and kept the expectations up high, instead of letting me just be mediocre. He knew my family and what they expected of me. He took that and expected the same things of me. He is a Christian man who has had the same beliefs as me and my family. He kept it real with me at all times, always talked to me, helping me to become a man. Instead of worrying just about basketball, it was more about me growing as a person.”

Summerfield, who was Barlow’s head football coach for 23 years, saw that, too.

“From the day I started in 1998, we had a connection,” Summerfield says. “He has been a dear friend. There is no better guy.”

Summerfield’s son, Campbell Summerfield, played for Johnson. Campbell grew up with Johnson’s sons.

“TJ and I coached youth basketball together with our boys and had a blast,” Terry says. “I coached JV basketball for him one year. He is not just concerned about the basketball player; he is concerned about the whole person. He makes the kids toe the line in school, out in the community. You are getting the full-meal deal with TJ. You don’t see that much anymore. He does it to the fullest.”

When Johnson was at Lebanon and Ron Jones was the head coach at Sprague, they played AAU tournaments together in the summers. Jones, who served seven seasons as Barlow’s head girls coach, was a member of Johnson’s staff on the boys side for much longer.

“One of the things he does a really good job with is his ability to communicate with the kids and the parents,” says Jones, a starting guard for Ralph Miller at Oregon State in the early 1970s. “The kids know the expectations through the program at all levels, and the parents mostly understand that. He is pretty clear with that kind of stuff, and it makes a difference.

“Tom has been able to incorporate faithfulness in what he does. Through the early part of his career at Barlow, a lot of his kids went to the same church he did. That was a carryover. The faithfulness shows through in the program. He gets really solid kids. There is not an overemphasis on faith, but there is an underlying current there. The focus should be on your faith, family and school. Basketball isn’t the be-all, end-all; it’s just part of your life. The kids buy into that idea.”

Jones adds another factor to Johnson’s success on the court.

“From the very first year I started with him, his philosophy was that if we were going to be good at the end of the year, you have to challenge the players by playing top teams in the preseason,” Jones says. “He always tried to get good teams to play us — teams that had made the state tournament the year before. His record would have been even better had he gone after cupcakes.

“But he knew if his kids were going to win important games at the end of the season, you have to have experience against the best. That is the kind of character he has. He wants to challenge his kids, challenge himself and play good teams. I really admire that about him.”

Saling has been with Johnson through most of his time at Barlow.

“When we first met, I had no idea that this guy would still be coaching Barlow almost four decades later and still be successful, still be a really good, effective coach, getting the most out of his teams,” Saling says.

Comportment, and lack of ego, is part of it.

“Tom manages to coach without belittling players, without making it sound like he is the smart one, like everything good is happening because of him,” Saling says. “He always credits the players. What (UConn coach) Dan Hurley said the other night — telling a ref, ‘I’m the best coach in the country’ — Tom would be appalled by that. He is humble, and it is not an act. You never see him yell or swear at a kid. After some of our toughest losses, he has always been the one to accept the blame, even when it wasn’t necessarily his fault. That is an admirable quality, because sometimes coaches can get frustrated and blame players or lash out. He never does that.”

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Nick Robertson says an important reason for Johnson’s success is “his resilience.”

“In this business, we all have our ups and downs,” says Robertson, a close friend of Johnson’s. “Basketball is one of the most humbling things to coach because we play so many games. You are a hero on Tuesday, but you lose on Friday and you’re a bum. Parents aren’t the problem for older coaches as much as they are for younger coaches, but you will still have people who want to talk about playing time, which is never something that should be an issue. Getting through all that is a big part of it. Tom does it as well as anybody.

“The best thing about Tom is how available he is to his players. He has kids come in to play every Sunday who played for him years ago. They are guys who still love him, and that is a great feeling for any coach. I think that is one of the things that keeps him going. He has such a great connection to the community. That is a real key. He is six or seven days a week in that gym.”

Johnson has overcome personal issues in his life. There was a difficult divorce. In 2012, he survived a bout of tongue cancer through chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

“I like the way he has handled the adversity in his life,” Robertson says. “I have seen him go through disappointments. He keeps his head up.

“There is nobody who has higher character than Tom. He never sells out to anything. He doesn’t have a double standard. His kids are all accountable on the court. That is what coaching is all about. Tom demands of his kids the same thing from each guy. I have always been impressed by the integrity and the way he handles things.”

Coons says Johnson has mastered what he calls “the art of coaching.”

“We all know about the Xs and Os, practice plans and drills and that sort of thing,” says Coons, who was 365-233 at Westview, reaching a pair of 6A state championship games before retiring in 2017. “But a lot of young coaches going into it for the first time don’t realize the other stuff they have to do. Tom is so consistent in his behavior and rapport with the kids, and how he connects and relates to them.

“Tom has had really good teams; he has had really good players. That doesn’t make it any easier. You have to battle with the kids and all the different levels they aspire to. He has not lost many players over the years because parents and players know how they are going to be treated and respected. He is going to be fair, and when he has to, he will make tough decisions. To me, that is all part of the art of coaching that a lot of people might miss.”

Coons recalls one season when Barlow was 21-1 in the regular season and ranked No. 2 in state. The Bruins hosted Westview in a first-round playoff game.

“We were fortunate enough to win,” Coons says. “Their dreams were burst. Tom came into our locker room afterward to congratulate my kids, but I can imagine how devastating that was. Yet Tom comes back the next year and coaches them up and they are back in there near the top again.

“Can you remember a year when Tom’s teams weren’t in the hunt? His consistency and his message and his dedication is unbelievable. He is making a ton of sacrifices that a lot of coaches aren’t willing to make these days.”

During his 17 seasons at Jeff, Strickland got to know Johnson personally.

“We have had a lot of conversations over the years,” says Strickland, 299-96 while coaching the Democrats to five state championships, four at the 5A level. “His teams played in my fall and summer league tournaments. I know a lot of his ex-players, including Freddie Jones. They have a lot of great things to say about their time at Barlow with Tom as the coach. Every team he has, whether it has had a lot of talent or not as much, he has able to relate to his players. That is one of his biggest strengths.

“Even without getting to that No. 700, Tom is definitely one of the legendary high school coaches we have had in this state of Oregon. He has done an excellent job over the years. If I weren’t coaching, I would love to have my sons play for Tom Johnson. I respect his work on and off the court.”

So does David Blue, in his 10th season at Central Catholic. The coach of the defending state champion Rams apprenticed as assistants under Doherty at Oregon State and Gene Potter at Jesuit. Blue also played on Potter’s first team at Jesuit, so his tutelage has been substantial. He first came upon Johnson when he was a freshman in high school, and recalls that Johnson served as a camp counselor for Self-Enhancement, Inc.

“I lived in Gresham so I would go to open gyms and play against some of the guys on his teams there in the early ‘90s,” Blue says. “I always had a great deal of respect for him. He ‘poured in.’ What I mean is, he didn’t care where you went to school. He was a guy who genuinely cared for you and wanted you to be successful, whether you played for him or not. After I took over at Central, he was always supportive of me being a part of the league. I did some leaning on him in my early years, and still have some conversations with him about coaching.”

As for win No. 700?

“Wow,” Blue says. “You think of accomplishments like that, in our new world … I can’t foresee myself approaching that, or even wanting to.

“The longevity, the commitment, all the work — it is not the easiest position at times. You pour so much into being coach to these athletes and families in your community for that long. It is amazing. Just the consistency over that amount of time … I am in awe of Tom not just as a coach, but as a person.”

Blue points to “the respect and reverence Tom has from his players.”

“You can see how hard the guys he coaches play for him, how they want to win a championship for him, how they want to compete for him,” Blue says. “The commitment he gets from his team, from his top players. Tom gives them 100 percent. For them to give 100 percent back, that is all you could ask for.”

Potter is the next man up in the state-of-Oregon prep basketball coaching hierarchy. Over 33 seasons, his teams have gone 659-220 and claimed seven state titles. The Crusaders have handed Barlow its only loss this season, though the Bruins later got even with a win against them.

“I would guess we have played 10 or 12 times over the years,” says Potter, 60. “The personnel Tom has is always well-prepared for whatever the opposition throws at him. He has a really good demeanor, and his kids are respectful, but at the same time ready to play hard and compete.

“He is a great human being. He cares about others. He is always interested in how you are doing and what is new in your life. If he can do anything to help anybody out, he is always there for you.”

Chris Roche has a career coaching record of 559-142. A total of 512 of the wins have come during his 23 years at Wilsonville, where he has won five 5A state titles. Wilsonville and Barlow have never played during the regular season, but have often played against each other during summer tournaments.

Roche remembers playing for his late father, John Roche, at McKay against Lebanon when Johnson was beginning his coaching career. He says he admires Barlow’s “basketball culture.”

“Tom produces great players and has uber-competitive teams,” Chris says. “They play fast offensively. They are tough to slow down. He knows how to get guys shots, get them playing loose and free. They are formidable. They have been a great program for years. It is a testament to his longevity. It is a demanding job. The pressures are great. It has become more so that way over time. You have ebbs and flows with talent; he has been able to adapt and maintain a very high level of excellence.

“But what makes Tom extra special is he is a throwback — genuinely nice, kind, cares about coaches. As a young coach, I could call him and he would always get back to me. He was a great mentor. He is a great coach but also a really good person who would try to steer you the right way. When you have people like that, who care about the game and also want to see young coaches succeed, it makes a big difference.

“I appreciate the heck out of Tom. I admire not just the job he does as a coach, and the impact he has on tons of kids, but also on the entire coaching community. He is a pillar within that.”

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There is only one thing missing on Johnson’s resume — a state championship. His players want to win this season for themselves, but also for their coach.

“That is the reason I came to Barlow,” says Jalen Atkins, who will play at Eastern Arizona JC next season. “We want to continue his legacy, to stamp his greatness in the state. We are working hard every day. We are stacking days, and we will keep working. If the chips fall the right way … we absolutely have the potential to win a state title.”

“I think this will be the year,” says Bierbrauer, bound for Oregon Tech next season. “We know it won’t be easy. We have to do it one step at a time. Can’t think too far ahead. We know Coach would love to win one. If anyone deserves it, it’s that man, for sure.”

The Bruins are led by seniors Atkins and their two 6-6 bigs, Bierbrauer and Braydon Barren, the latter headed for Portland State next season. On Jan. 24, they beat No. 2-ranked Central Catholic 75-55.

“They are well-coached, they are talented and from what I have witnessed, they are on a mission and are doing it together,” Blue says. “It is not just their big three; it is their whole team. They are playing a great brand of basketball. They look like they have clicked. Winning a state title is really hard. So many things have to fall in place. But they are definitely capable.”

“They have all the elements,” Potter says. “A point guard who can take care of the ball, strong, can score inside and out. There is length in the two bigger kids, who can also play inside and out. They are the whole package.”

Does this Barlow team compare with the Fred Jones-led team that reached the state finals?

“Yes it does, in a lot of ways,” Johnson says. “But it is irrelevant depending on how good the talent is around the state. And it is pretty good this year. We have only one loss, but a lot of our early wins were close wins.

“We are capable of winning state, but I have felt that way about five or six of our teams over the years. There are about 10 other teams this year that are capable. You have to stay injury-free and get a few breaks along the way.”

Would it feel fulfilling to finally win one?

“Yes, it would,” Johnson says. Then he chuckles.

“I remember talking to Ken Harris years ago after he won the state title (at Sunset in 1987),” Johnson says. “He told me, ‘I recommend this for everybody.’ ”

“I am pulling for Tom to get that first state championship,” Strickland says. “To add a state title to that resume? Shoot, that would be the icing on the cake for him.”

Does Johnson feel pressure to win this year?

“No,” he says. Then he reconsiders.

“I mean, yes and no,” he says. “I would love to win it for these kids and for the community. In that regard, I feel a little bit of pressure.”

“I can understand the pressure of being No. 1 in the state,” Coons says. “That is a lot of pressure. The expectations are so high, your wins are kind of a relief. You don’t get to celebrate them as much.

“It takes an experienced coach like Tom to understand that you have to celebrate every victory, every positive thing that happens with your kids, because there is enough tough stuff going on to make it very challenging.”

Johnson’s legacy won’t be defined by whether or not he ever wins a state title.

“We would all love to see it happen,” Saling says. “But if it doesn’t, it won’t haunt him.”

Potter puts it all in perspective.

“Tom is a professional educator,” the Jesuit coach says. “He knows at the end of the day, everybody wants to get a blue trophy. But we really want kids to grow throughout their four years in high school. Whatever we can do outside of the classroom, I am sure that’s what his main focus is.”

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Johnson says his coaching future is on a “year-to-year” basis. Like all high school coaches, he doesn’t do it for the money.

“I think my salary is up to $7,500 (a year) now,” he says. Pennies per hour.

“I was a part of Coach’s 600th win,” Jesse White says. “I wondered if he would stay long enough to get his 700th. I am glad he stuck with it. But I am going to go out on a limb and say he probably won’t get to 800.”

Maybe not. But …

“I don’t know if he will ever quit coaching basketball,” Robertson says. “He really enjoys it.”

Says Ron Jones: “Tom says, ‘What am I going to do? I’m not married. Don’t have a serious girlfriend. Don’t have a lot of hobbies.’ ”

So Johnson may stay around awhile.

“This team is senior-dominated, but we have really good kids in our program that I am excited about,” he says. “We have some good kids coming up through our system, too. I think the future of our program looks good.”

If that is not music to the ears of Barlow athletic director Dan Dalzell and Johnson’s legions of followers at Barlow, nothing is.

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