Mikayla Johnson named new Garaway boys golf coach

By Mitch Spinell

SUGARCREEK, Ohio - Mikayla Johnson was named the new head coach of Garaway's boys' golf team during the school's Feb. 8 Board of Education meeting.

Johnson, who coached the girls' golf team for her alma mater Strasburg for the last three seasons, will now become the only female head coach on a boys' golf squad in the Inter-Valley Conference.

"It's not common for a female to coach boys golf and that gave me some reservations, but I've played high school golf, collegiate golf and a lot of people have told me I have the mentality and competitiveness of a guy," Johnson told The Times-Reporter. "It's going to be a change going from girls to boys, but I'm up for the challenge."

Johnson was a two-time IVC Player of the Year with Strasburg, while also earning three Eastern District first-team honors and qualifying for the Division II State Tournament her junior season. She also played basketball, softball (winning the 2011 state championship in her sophomore year), and track before graduating in 2013.

At Malone University, Johnson earned All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference honors with the Pioneers.

Johnson will succeed reigning Division II East District Coach of the Year Brad Nyholm, who resigned back in January.

The original post said that Johnson was the first female coach in the history of IVC boys' golf. However, Dolly Contini coached Tuscarawas Central Catholic back in the 1980s. We apologize for this error.