Johnson steps down as Post Falls girls hoops coach

POST FALLS — After 17 years of battling the winter to various gymnasiums in the area, Post Falls girls basketball coach Chris Johnson decided Wednesday that it was time to get off the bus and play in the snow.

Johnson led the Trojans to state 4A championships in 2001-02 and 2002-03, two third-place finishes — one at the 5A level (2008) — and a fourth-place finish.

“It’s been a fantastic experience,” said Johnson, who compiled a 241-161 record at Post Falls. “I’ve been doing it for 17 years, but now I’m going to spend my time skiing and snowmobiling.”

Post Falls finished this season 8-14 and was eliminated from the 5A Region 1 tournament by eventual state runner-up Coeur d’Alene.

“This has been a huge part of my life,” said Johnson, who was an assistant coach for 10 years before taking over as head coach. “The relationships I’ve formed have been incredible. But I’ve got to keep moving forward. I have a lot of interests to pursue and now is a really good time to step aside and let someone else take over.”

Johnson will continue teaching honors English classes at Post Falls High.

“I plan on continuing teaching for quite some time,” Johnson said. “I’m really grateful for the support by our administration. I’ve had great support from the principal and athletic directors. It’s tough being a coach and to be here 17 years says a lot.”

“Through the years, we’ve had a lot of good kids that he coached that excelled at the college level,” Post Falls athletic director Craig Christensen said. “We’re definitely going to miss him. He’s probably the winningest coach we’ve had. It’s a tough loss for us, but I understand there’s other things he wants to do in life and I wish him the best.”