Adam Johnson has had a long and distinguished career in volleyball, first as a player and then as a coach. After a pro career highlighted by 44 victories in beach volleyball, Johnson set up a training center to instruct kids in the sport. The club is based in Austin, Texas, as of May 2011. Johnson and his wife, Jennifer, met at a tournament in Italy in 1990, and are the parents of a son and daughter.
College
Born in Laguna Beach, California, in 1965, Johnson led the Southern California Trojans to three consecutive berths in the NCAA Volleyball Championships from 1985 to 1987, earning All-American honors each year. He later was selected as one of the 10 best athletes in the history of USC sports. After graduation, Johnson played on the United States national team from 1988 to 1990.
Professional
Turning pro in 1988, Johnson soon made his mark as one of the best players on the beach volleyball circuit. Winning the U.S. Championships in 1991, Johnson racked up over $1.6 million in earnings during his career. Johnson's 44 career wins rank 10th on the all-time list. His pro career was highlighted by 16 wins with the famed champion Karch Kiraly, and the duo just missed qualifying for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney when Kiraly was injured. Kiraly says of Johnson: "He was one of the best passers and controllers of the ball I've ever played with. He combined that ball control with an explosiveness and mobility that made him the best defensive player of his generation."
Volleyball Club
After retiring from active competition, Johnson opened a volleyball camp in Southern California and eventually moved it to Austin. The Adam Johnson Volleyball Camp features a travel and regional team. Its players have earned scholarships to many schools, including Stanford, Penn and Texas at San Antonio. The philosophy of AJVC is holistic. Youth athletes are trained to play every position and become well-rounded athletes and people. The mission of the Adam Johnson Volleyball Camp "is to prepare our athletes with the most comprehensive mental, physical and fundamental training techniques that will help ensure their success on the volleyball court and in life."
Considerations
In addition to his camp, Johnson is a prominent instructor at summer camps, clinics and workshops. He has taught alongside the greatest women's beach volleyball players in the history of the sport, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. One of the graduates of the AJVC is Erin Yoder, who helped lead the 2010 USC Trojans to the Final Four and a third-place finish.
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