Displaying items by tag: Coach Rich Johns

Thursday, 13 June 2019 14:04

Rich Johns: Coaching Students Through Life

SARATOGA SPRINGS — In 2010 schoolteacher, tennis and basketball coach Rich Johns, retired from the traditional structures of education and coaching and began a nonprofit known as Act With Respect Always (AWRA). The organization has flourished and has taken Coach Johns to schools as far as Duke University and as local as Saratoga Springs High. This month would be the sixth month that AWRA has trademarked it’s new Visibility Project.

AWRA is an organization, and a mission in itself; to treat yourself and others with kindness and respect. Through speaking engagements, Johns uses his platform to promote others to create opportunities to make positive impacts in another person’s life.

The new factor of AWRA - the Visibility Project, takes interacting with someone one step further – to be seen.

“When you become visible, you’re strong, and you believe in yourself, I hope,” said Johns.

This project promotes reaching out to others and letting them know their presence and visibility in this society is of importance.

“Part of my mission before I leave a school is to stress to those adults in that environment, connect with them, and tell them I’m one of your solid five, and you can get in touch with me,” said Johns. “To me, making young kids know that they have this solid group with them, and they love you, they care for you, and they’ll do anything for you makes you visible."

At each speaking engagement, Johns attends, he makes a point to bring a book and postcards. This is not only to leave students, athlete and the teachers with something to incorporate but to provide an opportunity to encourage connection through the written word.

The new AWRA T-Shirt that states “The Visibility Project” is marked with a large, vibrant yellow circle on the back. Literally visible at afar, but meaningfully visible to the wearer, who are all connected through the message of the Visibility Project.

AWRA IS A 501 © 3 charitable organization. To get involved or to support the organization be visible, and connect with Coach Rich Johns through Facebook or Instagram or actwithrespectalways.com.

Published in Sports

Neighbors: Rich Johns

[Photo by www.PhotoAndGraphic.com]

WHO: Rich Johns
WHAT: Saratoga Springs High School Teacher and Sports Coach

Q. How long have you lived in Saratoga?
A. We’ve been in Saratoga since the fall of 1972, so you can do the math. It’s been over 45 years or so. I’ve been immersed in the community of Saratoga Springs and truly love being part of the community.

Q. How long have you been married?
A. Well, I better get this one right. My wife, Karen, and I have been married now for 46 years. I tell people ‘I think I was married when I was 15...’ I’m only kidding. We were married in August of 1971, I was going back to school for my senior year, Karen had graduated, and she became a teacher in the fall of ’71.

Q. How many children do you have?
A. We have one child, her name is Nicole, she is now 36 and she is a psychotherapist and yes, whether she is five or 36, she’s my little girl.

Q. What do you like to do for fun?
A. I do enjoy just being with my friends, there’s no question about that. I was very fortunate over the years to enjoy different sports. Karen and I spend a lot of time together and going for walks and enjoying seeing activities in the city. Taking short trips but always returning to Saratoga. I don’t see myself ever really leaving Saratoga. Q. If you had to describe your life as a movie genre, what would you say it’s been? A. Well you know, we never try to map out what our life will be like, we just sort of jump in it and we realize over time, life is life. I’ve been so fortunate to be able to go to college and pursue teaching. Coaching became part of it within that scope. I don’t want to use the term, ‘it’s been a wonderful life,’ it’s been a wonderful life. It certainly has been more that I can ever dream of as I’ve been able to move from teaching, coaching, and now sending the message that I have, which is now growing throughout the country. I could never have dreamt of anything like that. I consider myself a very lucky person, to have been married and enjoyed every bit of it. I don’t know if that fits a genre, but I know that it’s been very special and I do appreciate that.

Published in Neighborhood Buzz