Tennis Coach Paul Johnson Paul Johnson begins his thirty-fifth year at ICC as men's tennis coach and his ninth year as women's head coach. In the spring his Indians finished number 17 in the national tournament in Plano, Tex., where Johnson was inducted into the NJCAA Men's Athletic Hall of Fame. The year before at the national tournament he received the prestigious Herschel Stephens Award, an annual national coaching award for outstanding service and dedication to NJCAA tennis which is voted on by the NJCAA Tennis Coaches Association. Last December, the Nettleton native was selected as the Mississippi Tennis Association Coach of the Year for 2008. This award was based on Johnson's accomplishments during his first 33 years at ICC. He began his coaching career at Ackerman High School in football. In 1972, he became an assistant football coach and men's tennis coach at Itawamba Junior College. The former head of ICC's Physical Education Department, Johnson has led the ICC men's team to 12 national tournament appearances, including the last 10 years. His men have either won or shared five state championships and four Region 23 titles. In addition, Johnson has been named the MACJC Men's Tennis Coach of the Year six times and has won the MACJC Women's Tennis Coach of the Year twice. Johnson's Lady Indians were state and regional runners-up four times and have earned five trips to the national event in Tucson, Ariz. His women's team captured the state and Region 23 crowns two years ago, after sharing both titles with Meridian in 2006. ICC was also state runner-up in 2002. Johnson, who received his United States Professional Tennis Association's Certificate in 1995, earned the Master of Education degree from Mississippi State University. He is married to the former Brenda Hill of Okolona, and they have two children, Leigh Craft of Atlanta, Ga. and Mitch of Booneville. Coach Paul Johnson Office: 662.862.8228 Email: pmjohnson@iccms.edu Tryouts - Contact Coach Paul Johnson for information.