Trooper Johnson

Last updated
Trooper Johnson
Personal information
NationalityFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Born San Lorenzo, California
Medal record
Summer Paralympics
Wheelchair basketball
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1996 Summer Paralympics Wheelchair basketball
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2000 Summer Paralympics Wheelchair basketball

Lawrence "Trooper" Johnson is a former Paralympic coach for the United States women's national wheelchair basketball team and former wheelchair basketball player. He won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 1996 Summer Paralympics and 2000 Summer Paralympics. In December 2021, he resigned as head coach of the women's national team after players alleged emotional misconduct. He said he would cooperate with a United States Center for SafeSport investigation, and believed there would not be any findings.

Contents

Early life

Johnson was born to a military family and grew up on military base camps. Once able to drive, Johnson crashed his car into a tree in a drunk driving incident but remained unscathed. His paralyzation happened once he attempted to dislodge his jeep from the tree, causing it to run him over. [1] About a year after the crash, Johnson began playing wheelchair basketball, but stopped to continue his education until 1989. [2]

Career

Playing career

In 1989, Johnson joined the Golden State 76ers, now called the Golden State Road Warriors, a men's wheelchair basketball team. [3] From 1990 until 2004, Johnson competed with the United States men's national wheelchair basketball team at various international competitions. [4] With the team, he won a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Paralympics by scoring eight points in a 66–60 win over Spain. [5] The next year, Johnson was named the 1997 National Wheelchair Basketball Association's (NWBA) Most Valuable Player after averaging 29 points per game. [6] He also led the Golden State Road Warriors to their first Final Four in 1997 and was named MVP in 1998 at the first wheelchair basketball game played during the NBA Jam at the NBA All-Star Game. That same year, he became the second paraplegic to climb El Capitan. [7]

He would later take home another bronze medal from the 2000 Summer Paralympics. [4] Johnson was appointed captain of the Golden State Warriors team for 24 years, where he set the record for the most three-point field goals in a game. [8] His shooting and play making ability has been compared to that of Michael Jordan. [9]

Coaching career

Johnson was appointed an assistant coach for the 2013 U.S. Men's U23 and U.S. Women's U21 at the Junior ParaPan American Games. He was later promoted to assistant coach of the United States women's national wheelchair basketball team from 2013 until 2016. [10] In March 2016, he was inducted into the NWBA Hall of Fame. [7]

The next year, Johnson was promoted to head coach of the United States women's national wheelchair basketball team from 2017 until 2020. [10] While serving as coach, Johnson also sat on the board of directors for the Northern California Olympians and Paralympians, as the Sports Program Coordinator for the Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program, and head coach of the Junior Road Warriors Wheelchair Basketball Team. [11]

In December 2021, Johnson resigned as head coach of the women's national team after current and former players alleged emotional misconduct. [12] [13] He said he would cooperate with a United States Center for SafeSport investigation, and believed there would not be any findings. [12] [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Serio</span> American wheelchair basketball player

Steven Serio is a wheelchair basketball player. As a co-captain of the USA Men's National Wheelchair Basketball Team, he led the American men to their first Paralympic gold medal since 1988 at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games and defended the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. He currently plays for the New York Rolling Knicks in the NWBA Championship Division.

Matt Scott is an American wheelchair basketball player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Australia competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Games in London, United Kingdom, from 29 August to 9 September 2012. The London Games were the biggest Games with 164 nations participating, 19 more than in the 2008 Beijing Paralympic. Australia has participated at every Summer Paralympic Games and hosted the 2000 Sydney Games. As such, the 2000 Sydney Games, regarded as one of the more successful Games, became a point-of-reference and an inspiration in the development of the 2012 London Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donna Ritchie</span> Australian wheelchair basketball player

Donna Ritchie (born 28 December 1963 in Manly, New South Wales is an Australian former wheelchair basketball player. She was part of the silver medal-winning Australia women's national wheelchair basketball team at the 2000 Summer Paralympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hannah Dodd</span> Australian female equestrian Paralympian (born 1992)

Hannah Dodd is an Australian Grade IV equestrian and 1.0 point wheelchair basketball player who represented Australia in equestrian at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, coming 11th and 12th in her events. Switching to wheelchair basketball, she made her debut with the national team at the Osaka Cup in February 2015.

Mackenzie Soldan is an American wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis player. She represented the United States at the 2011 Parapan American Games where she won two gold medals, 2012 London Paralympics in wheelchair tennis and 2016 Rio Paralympics in wheelchair basketball. She has played for the U.S. women's wheelchair basketball team since 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Nelms</span> American wheelchair basketball player

Jason Nelms is an American Paralympic wheelchair basketball player from Huntsville, Alabama. He is a 2002 gold medalist at the IWBF World Championship and got a bronze medal in 2010 at the same place. A year later, he was awarded a gold medal at the 2011 Parapan American Games and on 2012 Summer Paralympics he was awarded with another bronze one. He was also a four-time NWBA Champion from 2008 to 2012. He has been the head coach of the University of Texas at Arlington Lady Movin' Mavs women's wheelchair basketball team since its establishment in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Schulte (basketball)</span> American wheelchair basketball player

Paul Schulte is an American Paralympic wheelchair basketball player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joy Haizelden</span> British wheelchair basketball player

Joy Haizelden is a 2.5 point British wheelchair basketball player who was the youngest player to represent Great Britain at the 2014 Women's World Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia at the 2020 Summer Paralympics</span> Australian participation at the 2020 Summer Paralympics

Australia participated at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021. It sent its largest away team - 179 athletes to a Summer Paralympics. Australia finished eighth on the gold medal table and sixth on the total medals table.

Wheelchair basketball in the United States is governed by the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF), and the US Olympic Committee recognize the NWBA as the official national organization. Internationally, both the men's and women's national teams participate in Paralympic and World Championships as well as regional tournaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abby Dunkin</span> American wheelchair basketball player

Abigail Dunkin is an American 3.5 point wheelchair basketball player who won gold at the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto, Canada, the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the 2019 Women's U25 Wheelchair Basketball World Championship in Suphanburi, Thailand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose Hollermann</span> American wheelchair basketball player

Rose Hollermann is an American 3.5 point wheelchair basketball player who won gold at the 2011, and 2019 Women's U25 Wheelchair Basketball World Championship, the 2011, 2015 and 2023 Parapan American Games, and the 2016 Summer Paralympics. She also won bronze at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and the 2022 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UT Arlington Mavericks women's wheelchair basketball</span>

The UT Arlington Mavericks women's wheelchair basketball team, commonly known as the Lady Movin' Mavs, is the women's college wheelchair basketball team representing the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Established in 2013, the team plays under the auspices of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). It has been coached by Jason Nelms since its establishment.

The United States women's national wheelchair basketball team began in the mid-1960s. The first women's team to compete alongside men in the Paralympic Games was in the inaugural 1968 tournament. A few years later in 1977, a women's wheelchair basketball division was created in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA).

Megan Blunk is an American wheelchair basketball player for the United States women's national wheelchair basketball team. She won a gold medal for Team USA during the 2016 Summer Paralympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UT Arlington Mavericks men's wheelchair basketball</span> College team representing the University of Texas at Arlington

The UT Arlington Movin' Mavs men's wheelchair basketball team, previously known as the UTA Freewheelers, is the men's college wheelchair basketball team representing the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Established in 1976 as the UTA Freewheelers, the team played at the club level against other colleges and universities in Texas during the 1970s and 1980s. It has played under the auspices of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) since 1988, when the team was renamed the Movin' Mavs. Its inaugural coach, from 1976 until 2008, was Jim Hayes. The team was coached by Doug Garner from 2008 until 2022 when he retired. In fall of 2022, Aaron Gouge was hired as the new head coach for the team.

Darlene Hunter is an American wheelchair basketball player. She is a member of the United States women's national wheelchair basketball team.

Josie Aslakson is an American wheelchair basketball player and a member of the United States women's national wheelchair basketball team. She represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

Matthew Lesperance is an American wheelchair basketball player and a member of the United States men's national wheelchair basketball team. Lesperance has represented the United States at the Paralympic Games twice, finishing in fourth place in 2008, and winning a gold medal in 2020.

References

  1. ↑ Ronald J. Berger; Melvin Juette (March 28, 2008). Wheelchair Warrior: Gangs, Disability, and Basketball . Temple University Press. p.  114. ISBN   9781592134762 . Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Players search for lost gold". Port Arthur News. Texas. April 19, 1995. Lock-green.svg
  3. ↑ Lee, Maddie (July 21, 2016). "4-time Paralympian Trooper Johnson back for more". sfgate.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  4. 1 2 "US women's wheelchair basketball announce new coaches". paralympic.org. January 12, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Wheelchair Team Wins Bronze". Janesville Gazette. Wisconsin. August 25, 1996. Lock-green.svg
  6. ↑ "Rolling thunder: Wheelchair Basketball celebrates 50 years". Walla Walla Union Bulletin. Washington. September 28, 1997. Lock-green.svg
  7. 1 2 "Iconic Trooper Johnson Headlines 2016 NWBA Hall of Fame Class". nwba.org. March 31, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Trooper Johnson". nwba.org. August 2, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Wheels". Corbin Times Tribune. Kentucky. September 25, 2004. p. 3. Lock-green.svg
  10. 1 2 "NWBA Hall of Famer and Four-time U.S. Paralympian Trooper Johnson Named 2017-2020 U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach". nwba.org. January 11, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Trooper Johnson is named 2019 U.S. Women's National & U25 Teams Head Coach". nwba.org. December 22, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Inside The Athlete Uprising That Brought Down A Wheelchair Hoops Legend". Defector. February 24, 2022.
  13. 1 2 Azzi, Alex (December 10, 2021). "U.S. wheelchair basketball coach resigns after players allege emotional misconduct". NBC Sports.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.