University of St. Thomas Athletics
Joel Johnson gears up for Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games head gig
1/27/2022 12:00:00 PM | Women's Hockey
St. Thomas women's hockey head coach Joel Johnson has worn many hats over his time in collegiate and professional athletics. As a player or a coach, Johnson has achieved success at every level in his career. This year, he has the opportunity to serve as the head coach of the U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey team, and bring an Olympic gold medal back to the United States.
"I have always appreciated and feel like it is a privilege to represent Team USA in any capacity," said Johnson of coaching at the Olympic level. "That goes back to 1999-2000 when I was pushing pucks at a development camp for 15-year-olds, and I loved it."
"The opportunity to coach at the Olympic level is something, that if you try to aim for it, I don't think you hit it. I love the fact that I get to represent the United States."
No stranger to championships, Johnson helped lead Bethel University's men's program to its lone MIAC Championship and NCAA playoff appearance in 2006-07. While serving as an assistant and associate head coach with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, he was a part of six NCAA Championships.
Since the inauguration of women's hockey as an Olympic sport, first played in 1998 at the Winter Olympics held in Nagano, Japan, the United States have finished as gold medalists, twice, silver medalists, thrice, and bronze medalists, once. With a strong historical showing, Johnson understands the importance of his role to both the country, and the sport of women's hockey.
"It is something you aspire to put yourself in a position for," said Johnson about representing the U.S. national program. "It is just a huge privilege. Knowing the type of veteran leadership that the roster consists of helps to ease a lot of the pressure."
The United States women's national team returns 13 Olympians from the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, a squad that finished as gold medalists, the second in the country's history.
"I have known a lot of the players for a long time, some that I coached for or against in college, and as a staff our goal has been to let the players go." Johnson hopes that the mesh of veteran leadership and youth talent can bring the country its second-straight gold medal.
There is no love lost between the United States and its neighbor to the north, Canada. The Canadian national team has amassed four gold medals and two silver medals, with a strong rivalry brewing between the two countries on the ice.
"The rivalry with Canada is one of the best in sports. It's one of the things that makes this sport, and the Olympics, so special. There is nothing like a full building with Team USA and Team Canada involved."
The United States will kick off play in Beijing, China, against Finland in the Women's Preliminary Round as part of Group A. The two teams will face off at 9:10 p.m. Beijing Time (7:10 a.m. CST) on Thursday, Feb. 3.
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas women's hockey, follow along on Twitter at @USTwomenhockey, on Instagram at @ustwomenshockey, and on Facebook at UST Women's Hockey.
"I have always appreciated and feel like it is a privilege to represent Team USA in any capacity," said Johnson of coaching at the Olympic level. "That goes back to 1999-2000 when I was pushing pucks at a development camp for 15-year-olds, and I loved it."
"The opportunity to coach at the Olympic level is something, that if you try to aim for it, I don't think you hit it. I love the fact that I get to represent the United States."
No stranger to championships, Johnson helped lead Bethel University's men's program to its lone MIAC Championship and NCAA playoff appearance in 2006-07. While serving as an assistant and associate head coach with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, he was a part of six NCAA Championships.
Since the inauguration of women's hockey as an Olympic sport, first played in 1998 at the Winter Olympics held in Nagano, Japan, the United States have finished as gold medalists, twice, silver medalists, thrice, and bronze medalists, once. With a strong historical showing, Johnson understands the importance of his role to both the country, and the sport of women's hockey.
"It is something you aspire to put yourself in a position for," said Johnson about representing the U.S. national program. "It is just a huge privilege. Knowing the type of veteran leadership that the roster consists of helps to ease a lot of the pressure."
The United States women's national team returns 13 Olympians from the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, a squad that finished as gold medalists, the second in the country's history.
"I have known a lot of the players for a long time, some that I coached for or against in college, and as a staff our goal has been to let the players go." Johnson hopes that the mesh of veteran leadership and youth talent can bring the country its second-straight gold medal.
There is no love lost between the United States and its neighbor to the north, Canada. The Canadian national team has amassed four gold medals and two silver medals, with a strong rivalry brewing between the two countries on the ice.
"The rivalry with Canada is one of the best in sports. It's one of the things that makes this sport, and the Olympics, so special. There is nothing like a full building with Team USA and Team Canada involved."
The United States will kick off play in Beijing, China, against Finland in the Women's Preliminary Round as part of Group A. The two teams will face off at 9:10 p.m. Beijing Time (7:10 a.m. CST) on Thursday, Feb. 3.
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas women's hockey, follow along on Twitter at @USTwomenhockey, on Instagram at @ustwomenshockey, and on Facebook at UST Women's Hockey.
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