Kishwaukee College hired Josh Johnson as the next head coach for the Men’s and Women’s Golf teams. Johnson will start the 2023-2024 season at the helm of the College’s golf program.
Johnson brings decades of golf experience to his new coaching role. As an avid golfer,
he is a fixture on local courses and has helped run events, lessons and camps at Fairways
Golf Course in Rochelle. Johnson is also a former member of the Kish golf program,
playing for the Kougars from 1997-1998.
“I played two years at Kishwaukee, and that’s what really piqued my interest to coach. I am an alumnus, and it gives me a chance to give back to the program,” Johnson said. “When I played, I met a lot of good people, and there was so much camaraderie. You get to know your teammates through practicing and traveling. It’s a great way to meet new friends.”
As an initial goal, Johnson hopes to build on the recent success of the program and help make the Kougars a regular participant in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championship. In 2022, the Kish Women’s Team qualified and competed in Florida in the NJCAA Championship for the first time in program history, finishing 15th in the country. On the men’s side, the Kougars previously had an NJCAA national qualifier during the 2019 season.
“Nationals is something we want to strive for every year. We want to get teams or individuals down there every season. That’s the kind of consistency we would like student-athletes coming to Kish to expect,” Johnson said.
As a coach, Johnson said he wants to emphasize the mental side of golf, teaching his players to relax and think about the game. He also highlighted the importance of academics for student-athletes outside of the sport.
“Developing academically is very important for these players to take the next step in their college or career goals,” Johnson said. “Whether it’s education or golf, I want to help every student-athlete as much as possible to reach their next level.”
Along with the Women’s Golf Team qualifying for the NJCAA nationals, the Men’s Team is the defending NJCAA Region 4 champion heading into next season.
For more information on the Men’s and Women’s Golf programs at Kishwaukee College, contact Josh Johnson at jjohnson5992@kish.edu or 815-825-9412, or visit www.kishkougars.com. For more information on Kishwaukee College, visit www.kish.edu.