JOHNSTON EARNS 200TH CAREER WIN

The numbers that matter most to Chad Johnston are the ones on the scoreboard at the end of the game.
After notching his 200th coaching win when Minneota drubbed Springfield 38-21 in the Class A state football championship Friday morning, Johnston deflected credit to several sources.
It was the fifth state title the Vikings have won with Johnston at the helm. The others came in 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2017. They were also state runner-up three times.
"It means I've been doing this a long time," he laughed, referring to his 21-year coaching career. "Honestly, it's cool. It means we are doing something right. It's nice that the win was in the state championship. But really, it's an accumulation of everyone that's ever been in the program. It's the people who started this before me, the great coaches I've had to work with, the kids, parents and community. They all played a part in this."
Johnston has had only one losing season in his football coaching career. The Vikings went 3-5 one season and were seeded No. 7 entering the section playoff, but still reached the section championship and were a touchdown away from qualifying for the state tournament.When asked which state title means the most to him, Johnston simply said, "They all have special meaning. Obviously, the first one was special. The one when we were underdogs against Minneapolis North was very special. They each have their own special meaning and none are more significant than the other."
Johnston was reminded numerous times prior to this year's state championship that he needed just one more win to reach 200, but his focus was solely on putting his team in the best position to win a state championship.
"Yeah, people mentioned it to me," he explained. "But I didn't think much about that because it's just a number."
Johnston was also a highly successful girls' basketball coach at Minneota, compiling 478 wins and three state titles. He resigned after last season and is taking over the boys' basketball program this season where he will eventually get a chance to coach his three sons.
So, what is the secret to his success?
"The commitment of the kids, consistency in coaching, good gene pools, and a lot of other things," he said. "It's not just one thing."