Johnston Inducted Into Hall of Honor

Congratulations to former Katy and current Houston Christian coach Mike Johnston on his induction to the Texas High School Coaches Hall of Honor at this year's Texas High School Association Coaches' convention.

Johnston, who will be entering his 40th year of coaching in the fall, helped guide the Tigers to three state championships, including handing Southlake Carroll their only blemish since entering class 5A in the 2003 state championship game, 16-15.

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The victory was the final game Johnston coached at the public school level. He has spent the past three years as the head football coach at Houston Christian, and he has loved every minute of it.

"For where I am in my life, this is pretty much ideal for me," said Johnston, who will turn 60 this summer. "I enjoyed the public school part. But it was so demanding of my time. I had other responsibilities I needed to take care of in my personal life. That wasn't going to happen if I stayed where I was.

"This gives me a lot more flexibility," he said of coaching at the TAPPS 5A school vs. Katy High School. "At Houston Christian, I am just a football coach. In Katy, I also was the athletic coordinator. I don't miss that part of it.

"Oh, I enjoyed watching the kids compete (in all sports)," he added. "But you had to be there a half-hour before the game, give game reports and handle concessions. It keeps you a couple hours extra every day. That was good in my time. But after your sons grow up, you realize you miss out on a lot of family time.

"I have said all along, this is God's perfect timing for me," he added.

"I am flattered and honored as well," said Johnston, who guided Katy to state titles in 1997, 2000 and 2003. "There are guys I think quite a bit of (in the Hall). My old high school coach (at Galena Park), Paul Smith, is one of the inductees. One of the coaches I played under at SFA (Gordon Brown) is in the Hall. I worked for him at Nacogdoches High School.

"Another one of the coaches at Nacogdoches, Beau McMichael, also is in there," he added. "For me to be in the same company with those guys is a humbling thing. I think a lot of them. Not just as coaches, but as men. They were role models in the business."