Coach Kevin
Now that you’re here –
it’s time to meet the coach!
Coach Kevin is a Pensacola native who grew up playing ball at the local rec fields. He was part of the 10U All-Star team that won the state tournament and went on to represent Florida in the Dixie Youth World Series in Chattanooga, TN where they finished runner up.
He us a 2006 graduate of West Florida High School of Advanced Technology where he was awarded the ALL-State Pitcher award three times and the ALL-Area Pitcher of the Year award as a senior. To this day he still holds the single season earned run average record with an ERA of 0.31.
His career accolades at West Florida Tech are: 182 innings pitched, 23 wins, 28 games started, 9 shutouts, 15 strikeouts in a single game and a career ERA of 0.77.
He then attended Alabama Southern Community College (currently known as Coastal Alabama Monroeville) after WFT where he was a 2-time ALL Conference Pitcher and 3-time Conference Pitcher of the Week.
He finished his college eligibility with the Argos at University of West Florida. There, he was awarded the Louisville Slugger Pitcher of the Week award twice, ALL-Conference team twice and the Conference Pitcher of the Week eight times. He was also the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the University’s history. The game ball is located in the NCAA Division II Hall of Fame in Texas.
Fun fact, he threw that no-no on his mom’s birthday with her in attendance.
After college he had a brief showing with the local independent team – the Pensacola Pelicans. He was drafted two weeks later by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 20th round of the 2010 Minor League Draft.
He played in their system for 6 seasons at every level. His pro stats can be found on the MLB website. A few to note follow:
In 2012 he pitched in the Freeway Series at Dodger Stadium. That same year he set the Single Season Save record for the Texas League while playing AA for the Arkansas Travelers.
In 2013 he was selected to play in the Texas League All-Star game.
His professional career ended in 2015 after we welcomed our first born.
Coach still spends his time on the fields today, just in a different role. After returning home from his last pro season, we opened a training academy.
Since then, our family has spent seven years coaching and traveling with our travel ball teams. We’ve had teams at every level from 8-18U at one point or another since 2016.
Three seasons ago we began coaching at our local rec park for our own kids. Coach will be serving as the 2023 T-ball Commissioner there this upcoming spring.
In February, he will take the field with the 2023 Argos as the pitching coach. Returning to the field he was drafted from and where his story became our story is a true blessing and testament to all of the ups and downs coming full circle.
He brings a quiet confidence to the field. Those that have played under him know exactly what I mean by that.
His approach to teaching the game isn’t always popular but the results he’s seen prove it not only works, it’s fruitful.
So, without further ado.
Coach Kevin Johnson.
A former player.
A current coach.
A husband. A dad.
& a kid at heart.
This is his story.
These are his confessions.
