DE PERE (NBC 26) — From college sidelines to high school conference championships, Chad Johnson has done it all.
After coaching at both the Division I and III levels in Green Bay, Johnson is closing out his career following two dominant seasons at West De Pere High School.
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"It's time to take care of family," said Chad Johnson, head coach at West De Pere. "It's just time to be around be around those that have supported me tremendously over the years."
His daughter, McKenzie Johnson, who served as an assistant coach at West De Pere this season, knows this isn’t the first time her father has hinted at stepping away from the game.
"It's funny because I think he said that before, and somehow he's come back," she said. “Hopefully, he's for real this time and he's actually committed to not coming back. But I know he's happy to be home and with his family, and no matter what, he's still gonna have a lot of passion and love for the game.”
Soccer has always been a central part of Johnson’s life. He was an all-conference player at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and later returned to coach the Phoenix.
He also led both the men’s and women’s teams at St. Norbert College before making the move to the high school level.
“Kind of growing up and seeing that he competed at UWGB and then coached that program, I know he has a lot to give to the community, and I think people are thankful for it,” McKenzie said.
At West De Pere, Johnson guided the Phantoms to back-to-back conference championships during his two-year tenure.
“This is a coach's dream. I've never had such nice facilities at my fingertips,” Johnson said. “Truthfully, the administration here has been just phenomenal. This is a wonderful place to be.”
While his teams found success on the field, Johnson said the lessons off the field matter most.
“You know, wins and losses aren't something that should be the focus,” he said. “It's been more about helping players mature, especially in the high school ranks, and it's about being there for them after high school as well for letters of reference, following up on their college programs, going to their games.”
Even in retirement, the Johnson legacy will continue in the local soccer community. McKenzie Johnson, a former standout at Bay Port High School and UW-Green Bay, hopes to carry on the coaching tradition. Though this season marked her first—and last—alongside her father, she said she’s grateful for the experience.
“It's interesting just learning his game and then now seeing it from a player's point of view, now to a coach's point of view,” McKenzie said. “So I'm thankful that we get to have those conversations on the pitch again and kinda come home and talk about what we need to fix.”
“I'm thankful for these years that I get to share with him because I don't think many daughters and fathers can say that they've had this moment together.”
McKenzie added that she’s sure her dad will still be attending soccer games in the area, but this time, as a fan.
