From 1976-1993 Johnson coached Arizona State University. His teams finished in the top-10 in six years, and in 1982 had one of their top finishes in sixth place. He had 24 finalists in Olympic competition, who captured a total of 14 Olympic medals. In his first 11 years with Arizona State, he led 20 of his swimmers to Western Athletic Conference and PAC-10 Conference championships in individual and team competition. In addition to his responsibilities as Men’s Head Coach, he served as a coach with Mona Plummer for the women’s team, leading the women to an Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) National Championship in both 1977 and 1978. <ref name=ASUHOF/>
From 1976-1993 Johnson coached Arizona State University. His teams finished in the top-10 in six years, and in 1982 had one of their top finishes in sixth place. He had 24 finalists in Olympic competition, who captured a total of 14 Olympic medals. In his first 11 years with Arizona State, he led 20 of his swimmers to Western Athletic Conference and PAC-10 Conference championships in individual and team competition. In addition to his responsibilities as Men’s Head Coach, he served as a coach with Mona Plummer for the women’s team, leading the women to an Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) National Championship in both 1977 and 1978. <ref name=ASUHOF/>
Swimmers coached by Johnson include 1980 and 1984 British Olympian [[Andrew Astbury]], Brazilian 1988 and 1992 Olympian [[Cristiano Michelena]] and marathon Hall of Fame swimmer Paul Asmuth.<ref name=ASUHOF/>
Swimmers coached by Johnson include 1980 and 1984 British Olympian [[Andrew Astbury]], Brazilian 1988 and 1992 Olympian [[Cristiano Michelena]] and marathon Hall of Fame swimmer Paul Asmuth.<ref name=ASUHOF/>
Johnson founded the Mesa Aquatics Club and the Sun Devils Masters Club, which produced over seventy national master’s champions. Beginning to compete in the United States Masters swimming program in 1973, Johnson held world records in each of the four competitive strokes.<ref name=ISHOF/>
Johnson founded the Mesa Aquatics Club and the Sun Devils Masters Club, which produced over seventy national master’s champions. Beginning to compete in the United States Masters swimming program in 1973, Johnson held world records in each of the four competitive strokes.<ref name=ISHOF/>
American swimming coach ( )
Ronald Lee Johnson (August 6, 1931 – August 7, 2009) was an American compeitive swimmer for the University of Iowa , and a swimming coach best known for coaching Arizona State University from 1976 to 1993. He was Head Coach of the Mexican National Team in the 1968 Mexico City and 1972 Munich Olympics.[2]
Johnson was born August 6, 1931, in Hollywood, California to Roy and Alys Johnson.[1] He attended and swam for St. Louis’s Beaumont High School, where in December, 1948, he won the 100-yard backstroke, and the individual medley leading his team to win all nine events at the season’s opening dual meet with Hadley High School. He was unbeaten in three years of High School competition, and earned seven American Athletic Union titles, while receiving All American team honors as a High School swimmer.[3][4] During his High School years, he worked as a lifeguard at St. Louis’s Fair Grounds Park, and on occasion gave swimming demonstrations and red cross swim training. Paricipating in marathon swimming events as well as meets, in July, 1949, he competed a 22 mile swim in the Mississippi River from Alton Dam to Eads Bridge in 5 Hours and 20 minutes.[5] A powerful high school swimming program, Beaumont won the Missouri State Championship in both 1946 and 1949.[6]
University of Iowa
Johnson attended the University of Iowa from 1949-1953 where he swam for Hall of Fame Head Coach David Armbruster and Assistant Coach James “Doc” Counsilman.[2][7] While swimming for Iowa in December, 1952, Johnson attempted to break the 100-yard breaststroke record using the new legal dolphin kick and swam a 58.6, finishing significantly under the former 1951 record of 1:00.5 by Yale’ Stanton Smith. Around 1934, Iowa’s Coach Armbruster was the first coach to experiment with the dolphin kick as part of the breaststroke, and added an over the water recovery for arms as part of the the front pull.[8]
In 1954, in October, he set the inaugural world record in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 58 seconds.[9]
Arizona State University
From 1976-1993 Johnson coached Arizona State University. His teams finished in the top-10 in six years, and in 1982 had one of their top finishes in sixth place. He had 24 finalists in Olympic competition, who captured a total of 14 Olympic medals. In his first 11 years with Arizona State, he led 20 of his swimmers to Western Athletic Conference and PAC-10 Conference championships in individual and team competition. In addition to his responsibilities as Men’s Head Coach, he served as a coach with Mona Plummer for the women’s team, leading the women to an Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) National Championship in both 1977 and 1978. [10]
Swimmers coached by Johnson include 1980 and 1984 British Olympian Andrew Astbury, Brazilian 1988 and 1992 Olympian Cristiano Michelena and marathon Hall of Fame swimmer Paul Asmuth. He coached four-time ASU All American Brad Hering, who would later coach swimming at Arizona Christian University.[10][11]
Johnson founded the Mesa Aquatics Club and the Sun Devils Masters Club, which produced over seventy national master’s champions. Beginning to compete in the United States Masters swimming program in 1973, Johnson held world records in each of the four competitive strokes.[2]
He and his wife Pricilla had four children.[1]
International coaching
He was Mexico’s national team coach from 1967-1973, and coached the Mexican Olympic team at the 1968 Mexico City and 1972 Munich Olympics.[9] At the 1992 Olympic games, he coached the Brazillian National team.[10]
Publications
Johnson was the author of the book, Romancing the Water, and has published articles in SWIM, Swimming World, and Swimming Technique Magazines.[12]
At 71, Johnson retired from active coaching in 2002, leaving the Sun Devils Masters Club in Tempe, Arizona.[9]
Having survived several heart attacks during his career, he died August 7, 2009, in Scottsdale, Arizona. On Saturday, August 15, a morning memorial service was held at the ASU Memorial Union’s Ventana Room.[1]
Honors
In 1999, Johnson was voted a United States Masters Coach of the Year, and became a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2007. He was admitted to the Arizona State University Sun Devils Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, and with his world age group records, was admitted to the Masters Swimming Hall of Fame in the same year. In 2001, he was named as the Masters Swimmer of the Year.[12] In 1978-9, he was named coach of the year with Mona Plummer by the National Women’s Swimming Association.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d “Legacy Obituary, Ronald Lee Johnson”. legacy.com. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ^ a b c “International Swimming Hall of Fame, Ron Johnson”. ishof.org. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ^ “Ron Johnson Ready for Splash”, Iowa City Press-Citizen, Iowa City, Iowa, January 8, 1953, pg. 18
- ^ “Beaumont Swimmers Stroke Past Hadley”, St Louis Globe-Democrat, St. Louis, Missouri, December 11, 1948, pg. 17
- ^ “Three St. Louis Youth Set New Record in 22-mile Swim Down Mississippi”, St. Louis Post Dispatch, St. Louis, Missouri, July 11, 1949, pg. 3
- ^ “MSHSAA: Championship Histories by Sport” (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 23, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ^ “Scott, Henard, Garner, to Help Iowa In Track”, The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 20, 1950, pg. 14
- ^ “Dolphin Kick Now Legal”, Iowa City Press-Citizen, Iowa City, Iowa, December 16, 1952, pg. 10
- ^ a b c “Ron Johnson Retires From Coaching”. swimmingworldmagazine.com. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ^ a b c d “Ron Johnson, ASU Swim Coach From 1976-1993”. thesundevils.com. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- ^ “Arizona Christian University, Men’s Swiming, Brad Hering”. acufirestorm.com. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
- ^ a b “Ron Johnson, United States Masters Swimmer of the Year”. usms.org. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
