EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) – Wisconsin women’s hockey coach Mark Johnson has established the Badgers as one of the nation’s elite programs during his 22 years in Madison. Under his direction, Wisconsin has won eight NCAA titles.
Many hockey fans remember the Mark Johnson who played for the 1980 United States “Miracle on Ice” team that upset the Soviet Union on Team USA’s road to winning the gold medal.
On Wednesday, Johnson enjoyed watching his former and current Badger hockey players get to live their Olympic dreams while still savoring his own golden moment nearly a half-century ago.
“It’s almost like wine. So, as time goes by, it gets a little bit better. For us that were part of that group, it’s always going to be special. You know it didn’t change your life, but it affected your life in a lot of different ways. Whether it was right after Lake Placid or as we sit here today, just getting into conversation with people you don’t know and the impact it had on those individuals, some of those that were able to watch those games on tape delay and now there’s the generation that saw ‘Miracle’, everybody got a story to tell,” said Johnson.
More stories are being told at these winter games as the biggest NCAA footprint is coming from Wisconsin women’s hockey. The badgers have 12 active and former players competing in Milan. Johnson says his message to those Olympians is pretty straightforward.
“Make sure you make the important thing, the most important thing. Because there’s obviously going to be a lot of distractions, you’ll have family over there, there’s a lot of things media-wise that are pulling from you, make sure you make the important thing the most important thing. Both the men’s and women’s hockey teams are favored to win the gold medal this year. They have the chance to win the gold medal. Years ago, Team USA wasn’t in that position. Well, this year we are and if the women stick to their game plan, they have a very skilled team, they’re very good. And if they play up to their capability, they are going to be walking away with a gold medal and the same with our men’s team; they have a chance to win a gold medal. And if I’m on that team, I’m telling them, ‘Hey! Keep the main thing, the main thing, stay focused and play for that right there, Team USA,’” said Johnson.
Johnson says he’ll be rooting for Team USA to capture gold. The women last stood atop the podium in 2018, the men 46 years ago when Johnson’s Miracle on Ice team beat the then Soviets. The Olympics have become a part of Johnson’s hockey DNA.
“I was fortunate to watch my dad coach in 1976 in Innsbruck, and then I got a chance to play in 1980 and I got another chance to go on the other side in 2010, so I’ve had the opportunity to be part of a couple of different Olympics. There’s nothing like it, when everyone puts all the politics aside and everyone comes together and really participates in that Olympic spirit, that’s pretty cool, that’s pretty special. And for those athletes that get a chance to do it, I mean, wow, kudos. And for even the ones that take it a step further, maybe a bronze medal or a silver medal or come away with a gold medal, I mean, wow, what a memory to come away with to hold on to for the rest of their lives,” said Johnson.
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