Posted: December 5, 2004

Athletics: Brooks Johnson honored with Giegengack Award

Portland, Ore. - Legendary coach and USA Track & Field Board of Directors member Brooks Johnson has been honored with the organization's Giegengack Award. Johnson will receive the award at Sunday's Closing General session of the 2004 USATF Annual Meeting.

Named in honor of former Yale University coach and 1964 Olympic Team head coach Robert Giegengack, the award goes to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the development and success of USA Track & Field and the larger community of the sport. In the past, the award has gone to coaches, officials, Association leaders, administrators, and others from all segments of USATF. The USATF Board of Directors votes to select each year's winner.

The former head coach at Stanford University (1979-1992) and California Polytechnic-San Luis Obispo (1993-96), Johnson was the 1984 Olympic Team women's head coach in Los Angeles, assistant women's coach at the 1976 Games, and relay coach in 2004. Before moving into college coaching, Johnson was a teacher, coach, and athletic director at St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., where in 1965 he founded the Risk program for students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. He began his track career as an athlete at Tufts University in the 1950s, where he was a record-setting sprinter.

Most recently, Johnson was director of the ARCO Olympic Training Center and is currently the High Performance Division chair for USATF, in which capacity he serves on the Board of Directors. Since 2003 he has been National Relay Teams coach for USATF, guiding the USATF National Relay development program. He was inducted into the United States Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1997.

"The service to our athletics community by Brooks is legendary," said USATF President Bill Roe. "He has been Olympic coach, collegiate coach, development chair - among other USATF posts held throughout our history - current High Performance Division chair, and retiring Olympic Training Center director. Brooks has held critical positions, set lofty goals, and achieved positive - if not spectacular - results."

For more information on the 2004 USATF Annual Meeting, visit USATF.org.