By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
Eric Johnson apparently isn’t ready for retirement.
Johnson, of course, did just that after the 2007-08 season and 24 years as boys basketball coach at Webb City High School.
Johnson is back, though, as a boys assistant at Carl Junction High School for first-year head coach Ryan Odaffer.
Johnson came after Odaffer, who’d served three years with Johnson at Webb City, called for assistance.
“Ryan called and asked,” Johnson said on Thursday. “I probably wouldn’t have done it for anyone else.”
Johnson, who also is substituting as a physical education teacher the first semester at Granby Middle School, indicated it wasn’t a difficult decision.
Odaffer needed help after his scheduled assistant, Jonathan Wengert, was named head girls coach of the Bulldogs with the resignation of coach Brad Neal.
“My wife (Mary Jane) was tired of me sitting. She wanted me out of the house,” Johnson said. “After surgery, I couldn’t play golf.”
Johnson said he had surgery on Sept. 8 to remove a cancerous prostate. The results of a checkup on Oct. 24 were “very good,” he said.
“It’s been enjoyable so far at Carl Junction,” Johnson said. “I thought Ryan and I had a good working relationship at Webb City.
“Practice began Monday and the players are working hard and showing respect,” Johnson said.
Said Odaffer: “He’s excited. I believe he already was kind of missing it (coaching). Definitely, he’ll be an asset. He has a lot of experience. I’m looking forward to having that experience on the bench. Remember, we already had worked together for three years.”
Odaffer said that Mark Robertson is the boys freshman coach and that Derek Lahm, slated to graduate from Missouri Southern, will help at both junior varsity and freshman levels next semester.
“Derek has been around the game forever and can relate to the kids,” Odaffer said.
Lahm, a Carl Junction product, played basketball for his dad, Chris, at Ozark Christian College.
An early assessment of the Bulldogs from Odaffer: “The kids are working hard. They’re listening, they’re learning and they’re improving. We’re inexperienced. But I believe we can compete.”
Odaffer also has been able to direct the Bulldogs at a couple of team camps and their team camp as well as a summer league at Webb City.
Johnson does have a complaint about Odaffer, though.
“He still has to get me a whistle and clipboard,” Johnson said.
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Eric Johnson back on bench as assistant at Carl Junction
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