THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Honestly, Jeff Johnson is a North Idaho guy.

He coached for four years under Post Falls High girls basketball coach Marc Allert, and then spent a year on the coaching staff at North Idaho College when Corey Symons took over for the 2014-15 season.

Thanks to a job opening, that North Idaho guy is now a Southern Idaho guy.

JOHNSON, WHO was a volunteer assistant coach for Symons last season, was recently named to the same position at the College of Southern Idaho.

"It was a pretty tough decision," Johnson said. "I'm a North Idaho guy honestly and have been around NIC basketball for a while and going to school there. It was a tough decision, but with them leaving to the NWAC (Northwest Athletic Conference) next year, I wasn't sure if I'd have a job."

After joining the NWAC in outdoor sports for the 2014-15 season, NIC will join in all indoor sports for the 2016-17 school year.

"It was difficult to leave, but looking at the chance, it's a no-brainer," Johnson said. "Especially with the chance for advancement. Getting to work at a national program is pretty special."

After the departure of assistant coaches Brock Morris (South Alabama) and Chris McMillian (Illinois-Chicago) for Division I assistant coaching jobs, Johnson's name came up to fill one of those positions.

At CSI, Johnson will join former NIC coach Jared Phay, who left NIC in 2014 after 10 years to coach the Golden Eagles. CSI went 31-3 last season, beating NIC in the Region 18 tournament championship game in 2015 and advancing to the NJCAA tournament.

"I've known Jeff for a long time, but recently got to see him as a coach," Phay said. "What I have been most impressed with is his relationships that he has with the players and how much he cares about them and takes the time to relate to them. Managing people is the most important part of coaching and Jeff is great at it. We are thankful to Corey and NIC for allowing him to come to CSI and join our staff."

When NIC visited CSI in the conference opener last year was Johnson's first trip to Twin Falls.

"I never really had a desire to come here," Johnson said from Twin Falls. "Now that I'm here, it's an awesome place to be. I left some family up there, but definitely looking at it now, there's no regrets. Coach Phay is a great coach and great guy to learn from. It's a great learning opportunity, no matter where I end up."

"It's a loss for our program for sure," said Symons of Johnson's departure. "Jeff's a good guy and helped us out and did a lot of work with the guys. It's a tough loss for the staff, but it's a great opportunity for him. We wish him the best of luck, except for the three or four times we face them this season."

"Corey gave me a great opportunity and asked if I wanted to join his staff when he got the job," Johnson said. "I looked at the opportunity and take them when they come. He gave me a great chance to get my feet wet in coaching, and a lot of latitude in what I could do coaching the team, and allowed me to do a lot."

THE FIRST meeting between NIC and CSI will be Dec. 12 at North Idaho College in the Scenic West Athletic Conference opener for both schools.

"We'll cross that hurdle when we get there," Johnson said. "I'm more focused on when we get there, being the best team we can be. It's a conference game, and we'll need to be ready to go. My emotions and homecoming shouldn't play a factor into how I or the team perform. We should be ready to face a team that's ready to compete."

Michael Hale III, who played at NIC from 2009-11 and played the next two years at Texas-San Antonio, replaces Johnson as a volunteer assistant coach at NIC.

"Mike was trying to play overseas and called me and wanted to get into coaching," Symons said. "He's a great fit for us and knows what he's got to do to be successful."

George Swanson returns for a second season as assistant coach at NIC.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JEPressSports.