Sunday, March 17, 2013

JOHNSON NAMED OJHL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Press Release

The Ontario Junior Hockey League today announced that Mike Johnson (pictured dropping puck on Volunteer Night in Orangeville - photo courtesy of the Orangeville Flyers), who is a volunteer with the Orangeville Flyers, has been named the recipient of the OJHL Volunteer-of-the-Year Award.

Over the past 11 years, the Orangeville junior hockey landscape has undergone many changes, including four different owners and three name changes (Thunder, Crushers, Flyers), while playing in three different leagues at two different levels.  The one constant at the Adler Street Arena continues to be Mike Johnson.

Johnson's title has varied over the years, from game night coordinator to assistant general manager to general manager and currently team manager, but regardless of the role, the dedicated volunteer has always gone the extra mile to ensure the job gets done.

Most recently, Johnson took on the role of forming an advisory committee, for the Villanova Knights ownership group, to determine the feasibility of another franchise moving into Orangeville when the previous Flyers regime took part in the OJHL's contraction program following the 2010-11 season.  He has coordinated that group ever since.  Along with currently being responsible for the daily team administration, from the busing to arena scheduling to pointstreak and player information, he is also the club's game day coordinator, ensuring that everything runs smoothly on game nights, including staffing, special events and taking care of the on-ice officials.

As if that isn't enough, when the Flyers equipment manager retired prior to the 2011-12 season, Johnson was there to pick-up the slack in an unofficial capacity, but one that he has been doing ever since.  He is the first one at the rink for practices and games, doing the laundry, filling water bottles and packing for road trips, while also being the team liaison with many of the sponsors and businesses in the community. Working tirelessly on behalf of the Flyers organization, Johnson fulfills all these roles while carrying an oxygen tank at his side, awaiting a double lung transplant.

The OJHL Volunteer-of-the-Year is awarded annually to the person who has volunteered for a club(s) that is adjudged to consistently have gone above & beyond the call of duty for his/her member club throughout the course of the regular season, while past experience and time served will be taken into consideration.

Katarina French of the Pickering Panthers was named runner-up in the OJHL Award selection to Johnson.

French has been an invaluable member of the Panthers organization this past season and integral in the club's resurgence in the community.  She spends countless hours working on initiatives such as the game day program, website, social media streams and game day operations.

The OJHL Most Improved Player Award recipient will be announced later this week.

(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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