Oswego High School Names New Head Baseball Coach

Oswego High School Athletics had recently named social studies teacher and assistant athletic director Mark Johnson as the new head baseball coach for the Oswego Panthers.

"Mark's years of experience, knowledge, passion, loyalty along with his relationship with the students and the fact that he is in the building all weighed into this decision," said athletic director Darren Howard. "We feel strongly that he will lead OHS Baseball into the future with a new energy and vision that will bring the program to the level we feel it should be at." 

Below is a biography written by Mark Johnson introducing his coaching history and himself to Oswego.

Coaching is something that I have always desired to do.  My first experience coaching at any level was assisting on a 7 year old recreation team.  As competitive as I am, seeing those young kids grow as players was even more rewarding.  From then on, I knew that I wanted to be involved in coaching in some manner.  

I graduated From Eastern Illinois University in December of 1996 with a B.A. degree in Social Science.  I have since completed my Type 75 Administrative program and earn a Master’s Degree from Governors State University (1997).

My first high school coaching job came in the 1997-1998 school year at Minooka High School.  At Minooka, I coached the sophomore girls’ basketball team and was the assistant freshmen baseball coach.  I had the privilege to coach directly under Bob Tyrell who later became their varsity head coach and is now currently their Athletic Director.  

Under Coach Tyrell, I learned the importance of team discipline and structure.  Coach Tyrell was fair but firm with all of his players and it translated to how we played on the field.  The Minooka program at that time was headed by Dan Goggins who was a great mentor in that he taught the importance of a program mentality.  He demonstrated how all levels of coaches must work together to build a competitive atmosphere where all levels compete at the highest levels.

After my one year at Minooka, I began my teaching / coaching tenure at Joliet Catholic Academy.  I worked at JCA from 1998-2004.  The pride in academics and athletics is evident once you walk through their doors.  I immensely enjoyed my six years at JCA.  

I had the opportunity to work and coach with Dan Sharp who is their head football coach and Athletic Director and Jarod Voss, the varsity baseball coach. Both men show a desire and love for their sport, their program and their athletes.  

This enthusiasm and desire to be the best permeates throughout their program and down to their teams.  Both men also run very detailed and intense practices in order to best prepare their teams for the field of competition.  I was fortunate to witness the baseball team making a run in the state tournament two times.  As a lower level coach, it was a great experience to help the varsity prepare for their play-off run and to witness the success that they had.  Both teams earned runner-up trophies.  

I was also privileged enough to help coach the 2002 and 2003 varsity summer league teams.  The 2003 team advanced to the summer league state semi-finals.  I learned a tremendous amount about coaching from all of the coaches that I worked with at JCA.

I came to Oswego in the fall of 2004 as a Social Studies teacher and have been on the baseball staff for nine years.  I have also coached on Kevin Schnable’s basketball staff for four years.  Since I have stopped coaching basketball, I have worked in the Athletic Office for the past five years including the last two as the Assistant Athletic Director.  

My first two years at OHS were spent with the varsity baseball team where we had some success those two years, both years finishing with 20 + wins.  After my two years on the varsity staff, I realized that I had an urge and a need to do more.  Our lower levels needed to work more on fundamentals and needed a better knowledge of the game.  With that in mind and my passion for running my own team, I have since been coaching the sophomore team for the past 7 years.  

It has been truly a great experience watching these athletes grow not only as athletes but as productive young men.  I am very grateful for the opportunity to lead the Panther Baseball Program and look forward to making a difference in the lives of these young men.