Kevin Johnson named head coach of Mount Allison Women’s Soccer

(SACKVILLE, N.B.) - The department of athletics and recreation at Mount Allison University is pleased to announce that Kevin Johnson has been named the new head coach of the Mounties' women's soccer program.

With an extensive background in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), Johnson understands what is needed to excel at the national level and is excited about the opportunity of continuing to elevate the success of the women's Soccer Mounties.

"I am truly honoured to receive the opportunity to lead the Mount Allison women's soccer program as our student-athletes pursue athletic and academic excellence. From the moment I stepped on campus and began my journey down the University's Sports Wall of Fame, I could feel Mount Allison's pride and promise in building the entire student-athlete. As one of the newest members of the Mounties' family, I have an intense passion for the game and a commitment to building a championship soccer program that is second-to-none. I would like to thank these future Mountie student-athletes for allowing me to be a part of their passion," says Johnson.

A recent resident of Kitchener, Ont., and a former All-Canadian student-athlete at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Johnson now lives in Moncton, N.B., and he will be spending this summer as the coach of the U-14 girls' soccer team with the Codiac Soccer Club.

Since 2008 in Ontario Johnson has successfully coached numerous age-group soccer divisions including different competitive teams from U9 girls to U17 girls in the Cambridge Youth Soccer club. After several seasons of coaching age-group championships teams, most recently in 2012 he took his U17-U16 Cambridge United girl's team to victory in the Western Ontario Youth Soccer League championship, and the Disney Memorial Day Shoot Out. He has coached several university camps and over the recent years, he has also coached at and started the "College Tour Friendly Games" which are annual excursions and exhibition games against NCAA universities and colleges in the United States.

With a diverse background in competitive sports at the national level, Johnson has made his choice to pursue an elite coaching career in the sport of soccer, despite his past athletic successes as a three-year starter and all-Canadian in CIS football at Wilfrid Laurier, a starting point guard for the CIS basketball programs at both Brock and Laurier, a Basketball Canada identification camp invitee, and a four-time Ontario boxing champion.

Mount Allison athletic director, Pierre Arsenault, is excited about Johnson joining the Mounties' soccer program.

"From the very beginning I was struck with Coach Johnson's visible passion, both for working with student-athletes and for his own development as a coach. Kevin brings a tremendous CIS pedigree to our program. I have no doubt that Kevin's commitment to player development will be a tremendous asset as we continue to build on the momentum of last year's playoff appearance. We are building a championship culture with Mounties' soccer and as such Coach Johnson is the right fit for our program."

Johnson takes over for Barry Cooper who has been with Mounties' Soccer for the past six years and who has been the women's head coach for the past four seasons.

"We wish to thank Coach Cooper for his many contributions to Mounties' soccer," offered Arsenault. "Barry cares deeply about our programs and student-athletes and we are grateful for everything he has done for our program."

The women's Soccer Mounties returned to the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) playoffs last year for the first time in 12 years. Building on that success, the Mounties will host the 2013 Subway AUS Women's Soccer Championship from November 1-3. 

Mount Allison's first home game will be on Homecoming Weekend, Sunday, September 15, when they host the Dalhousie Tigers.

Source: Mount Allison Sports Information