8/7/2019 Taylor Johnson Feature Part II

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What may seem like an angryor negative glare, really isnt.Rusty, a former starter himself atGrandview High School, is juststaying focused himself, while

trying not to be a dad and a coachat the same time.

Separating the coach fromthe father, and vice versa, is verydifficult, the elder Johnson said.Its no different from any otherfather or mother who wants theirson or daughter to do well, per-form well. When they dont do

well, you want them to.His high encouragement for

his son comes after Rusty playedonly one sport in high school. Hedidnt do what Taylor and his two younger children and most kidsdo today play multiple sports.Rusty instead fell in love with basketball and decided against

football by the time his highschool days came calling.

Have no regrets, Rusty, theyoungest in a family of nine chil-dren, advises his kids and student-athletes. If I had to do it overagain, I would play (football).

JOHNSONSfrom page ten

The bold, confident man sayshe has no regrets in life, but if theopportunity arises, he said, itsbest for kids to go for it. After all, when he decided to walk awayfrom football after the eighthgrade, it was quite a surprise in afamily of nine children where the

remaining five boys all playedfootball through high school.That was quite an issue in my

household being the only one notplaying football, didnt go over well, Rusty said as he grinnedear to ear. My mom was prob-ably the most disappointed.

Yet the 53 freshman and hisfamily quickly discovered bas-ketball was his niche.

Rusty made the varsity teamin his first year of high school as well and coincidentally enoughhe, too, was the starting pointguard.

Grandview only won threegames Rustys freshman year.

We werent very good, he

said, mustve had something todo with me being the startingpoint guard.

But by the time he was asenior, Grandview made it to thestate tournament. The successfulseason worked out pretty well,

Rusty went on to play basket- ball in college just in time forthe NCAA to institute the three-point line.

Now with his own son fol-lowing in his foot steps. Rusty watches Taylor closely which inturn helps him get better day

after day.He picked up on basketballpretty quick, Rusty said, startedat an early age, obviously.

He handles the ball a lotbetter than what I did as a fresh-man. I was scared to death. He isahead of the curve compared towhere I was at the same time.

Improving play on a dailybasis is clearly something Taylorhas embedded into his basketballthought process. With his dadcoaching the girls team, accessto the high school gym allowsTaylor to get in as much practiceat his shots as possible.

Thats the biggest thing, hav-ing a good shot, good form, he

said.And with basketball being the

number one sport in the Johnsonhouse, even though Taylor andhis siblings also play baseball,football, volleyball and variousother sports, Taylor from time to

time has taken his dad oneone on the basketball court.

Although he stays huwhen he talks about it.

I would like to think I co beat him, but Im not sTaylor said. Ive played hifew times, I try to get him w

hes tired.

Rusty says his boys just bemodest and yes, its happeTaylor has defeated his dad.

Hes a good son, hes gonna show his daddy up, Rsaid as he leaned in back inoffice chair and smiled at

ceiling. We used to play quibit, but as Ive gotten older fatter he beat me for the time this summer. It was qusobering moment.

Now well get into a thpoint shooting contest. He surpassed me at that as well.

But no matter what, Ru

going to be there for his sonhe goes down his Aledo ath journey. Theres just one huTaylor has to overcome plaon the varsity team.

Being a freshman, Rsaid.