Johnson Adds Basketball to El Toro Duties

Bob Johnson, one of the most successful football coaches in Orange County during the past seven seasons at El Toro High School, has been named an assistant varsity basketball coach by Coach Tim Travers.

Johnson has led El Toro to two consecutive Southern Conference football titles, and the Chargers were named the top team in the state by Cal-Hi Sports of Sacramento in 1986 after finishing 14-0.

Johnson has never coached a basketball team, but played the sport for three years at Redondo Union High. He said his new position won’t interfere with his football duties.

“I won’t spend a minute in basketball until our football season ends,” Johnson said. “For the past seven years, we’ve been fortunate to continue playing football into December. I know one thing, basketball won’t take away from football.

“I don’t pretend to know all the X’s and O’s, but I really like the sport and have spent a lot of time in the gym with my sons,” he said. “Things don’t change much handling kids whether you’re on the grass (football field) or the wood (basketball court).”

Travers, entering his ninth season at El Toro, has four assistant coaches in the Chargers’ basketball program. He advertised the fifth assistant’s post in April, and said he was surprised when Johnson applied.

“Bob and I had a 45-minute conversation and then I talked about the idea of him joining the staff with my other assistants,” Travers said. “Everyone agreed it would be great to have someone with Bob’s winning background on the staff.

“My biggest concern was how Bob would handle being an assistant and his biggest concern was whether he would be doing some meaningful coaching. Obviously, he’ll be learning about the game, but so far, he’s been great.”