Bruce Johnson

EDITOR’S NOTE: Bruce Johnson is one of 11 inductees of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023. The other inductees are Bob Barlette, Sheldon Battle, Kirsten Green, David Hinson, Frank Jagoda II, Scott Kindberg, Fred Larson, Marty Nichols, Jay Sirianni and Amy (King) Swanson. These 11 individuals will be formally inducted at the CSHOF’s 41st annual induction banquet on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 20 at the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club. Tickets are available for $50 at the CSHOF, 15 W. 3rd St., Jamestown; at the Jock Shop, 10 Harrison St., Jamestown; and at Matt’s News, 93 E. 3rd St., Dunkirk. Tickets are also available by calling banquet chairman Chip Johnson at 716-485-6991 or online at www.chautauquasportshalloffame.org

Frewsburg Central School has had an extremely successful boys and girls swimming program since 1977. The man who started it, nurtured it and maintained it at a high level of excellence for the past 45 years is an inductee of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.

Bruce Johnson was born in 1955. He is a 1973 graduate of Jamestown High School where he was a four-year breaststroke swimmer for fellow CSHOF inductee Coach Bill Rollinger (1996). Johnson also swam for the Jamestown Boys Club team coached by CSHOF inductee Tony LeVoie (1985).

Johnson attended North Park University where he swam for four years. He set North Park records in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke.

Following his graduation from North Park in 1977, Bruce was hired as a physical education teacher at Frewsburg. He was the school’s athletic director from1988-1996. He earned a master’s degree in 1990 from Canisius College.

Since Johnson started the Frewsburg swimming program in 1977, he has guided the boys and girls teams to an incredible combined record of 948-231-2.

His girls have won 37 Chautauqua County championships while his boys have earned 25 county championships. He produced 16 New York State championship meet qualifiers.

Johnson was the Section VI girls swimming committee chairman and a member of the New York State girls swimming committee for 25 years. He was also the meet director for the NYS girls championships for 10 years.

Johnson was the swimming coach at the Jamestown Boys and Girls Club for five years and led the STAR swim club for 15 years. He developed five junior nationals qualifiers.

Besides swimming, Johnson was also active in baseball. He was the assistant baseball coach at Frewsburg for 10 years during which time the Bears won six sectional titles and made four state tournament appearances.

Johnson coached in the Falconer Little League program for 17 years, including all-star teams that were area and section winners. He also umpired for five years.

Retired from the classroom in 2015, but still coaching at Frewsburg, Johnson resides in Jamestown.