Long before building one of the state’s most recognizable and passionate wrestling communities at Norton, Bill Johnson experienced the opposite end of the spectrum.

A 1983 Flinthills graduate, Johnson’s high school career didn’t start until after Christmas break of his sophomore year when the school added wrestling. 

Despite being on the ground floor of the program, Johnson went on to reach the state finals twice. However, he suffered heartbreaking losses in both title matches. 

“I knew what it was like being that person with all the pressure on you,” Johnson said. “I lost in the finals my junior and senior year because I put too much pressure on myself to win, win, win.”

Looking back, those lessons at Flinthills became the driving force behind his Hall of Fame coaching career. 

Johnson never wanted his wrestlers to feel the same pressure he felt in high school. 

“I truly believe that God made me lose those two matches at state, so I would be a better coach,” Johnson said. 

And Johnson wanted his Bluejays to always feel supported no matter the outcome. 

“I didn’t want my athletes feeling like they were the only ones out there, wrestling for themselves,” Johnson said. “Because that’s what I did when I was wrestling in high school. The only ones that came to watch were my coach and my family.”

Johnson was inducted into the Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Fame on Feb. 28 at the Class 3-1A state wrestling tournament at Fort Hays State’s Gross Memorial Coliseum. 

It was the latest distinction for Johnson, who has also been inducted into the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the NAIA Hall of Fame and the Fort Hays State University Hall of Fame. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honored Johnson with the Lifetime of Service to Wrestling award in 2022. 

In his 30 years (1991-2021) as Norton wrestling coach, Johnson guided the Bluejays to 11 team state championships and coached 49 individual state champions and 156 state medalists. 

“I go back and look at some of the pictures, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, we had a lot of fun back then,' ” Johnson said. 

Johnson initially went to college for mechanical engineering, coming from a family of engineers that included his father, grandfather and, later, his brother, Mark, a longtime electrical and computer engineer at Spirit AeroSystems who retired about a year ago.”

“I felt like I was expected to go the engineering route,” Johnson said. “But I really didn’t want to be an engineer. I wanted to be a teacher and a coach because those were the people that influenced me from a young age.”

He got his start in coaching at Kingman High School, guiding the Eagles for two seasons while teaching at the middle school. 

Johnson arrived at Norton in the fall of 1991 as head wrestling coach and a physical education and social studies teacher. 

While many think he replaced legendary Norton coach Jake Durham, Johnson notes there was a coach in between Durham and Johnson after Durham, who guided the Bluejays to six state titles, retired in 1989. 

“It was awesome,” Johnson said of his relationship with Durham. “He supported me very well. He didn’t come in the wrestling room a whole lot, but there were times he would come in and just want to visit. I appreciated that he gave me enough space that I could do my own things.”

Johnson said wrestling was a little down at Norton when he arrived, but the program came back quickly with the Bluejays starting to enjoy strong success at the state tournament a few years later. 

Johnson won his first state title at Norton in 2004.  His run of titles included five straight from 2013 to 2017, with his final team championship coming in 2020. 

A priority for Johnson was building a family environment around the program. 

“I did some things to bring parents into the wrestling room,” he said. “Early on, we did father-son practice over Christmas break. That helped bond the parents into the program, and then I expanded that and brought the moms in. In the end we called it a family practice.

“Building a family of trust is the first and foremost thing. Building the family and community and bringing them in. Making them feel like they’re a part of it.”

Norton is known for creating themes for wrestling seasons and state tournaments, hanging banners of the themes in the corner opposite the Norton cheering section at state.

“That theme gives kids an alter-ego,” Johnson said. “I encouraged those kids: I want you to perform like there’s no pressure on you. This is your alter-ego. We are coming here to Cowboy Up. We are coming here as Agent 007s.

“Make it fun.”

Each state tournament became a monumental event for the Norton community. 

“When we would warm up, we always jogged around the mats at Fort Hays State and all of our fans would stand up and clap and scream to let everyone know they’re there,” Johnson said. 

“And that sent chills up my back, and it sent chills down the kids’ back, too.”

Asked to pinpoint his favorite state tournament moments, “That’s kind of like asking me which is my favorite child,” Johnson joked. “But there are a few that stick out without any doubt.”

Johnson said the most remarkable finish he’s ever seen at a state tournament came during his first title as Norton coach in 2004. That year, Michael Sprigg won an overtime match with a takedown against Ellis’ Ryan Honas in the tournament’s final bout, clinching the team title over rival Hoxie. 

“The Coliseum just went through the roof,” Johnson said. “It was amazing. We had been close (to the title) many, many years before that.

“We won, and that was an amazing accomplishment. Our fans still remember where they were. That was so amazing because you could feel the tension.”

Johnson also guided his sons – Ryan, Eric and Skylar – to state titles. 

Another of Johnson’s favorite moments was one that caught the entire state’s attention in 2020. 

A year after the tragic death of his mother, Norton’s Darius Shields won the 106-pound state championship, setting off an emotional celebration for the Bluejays. The Johnson family had taken in Shields as a foster son. 

“I don’t know that there was a dry eye in the place,” Johnson said of Shields’ championship. “Our whole team bonded greatly through that tragedy.”

Following the 2021 school year, Johnson moved into administration, serving as Norton’s athletic director and junior high principal for four years. Bill Broeckelman, who wrestled for Johnson and then served under him as an assistant coach, replaced Johnson as head coach. 

Johnson retired from the Norton school district and is now principal at Overton (Neb.) High School.

“It’s a lot smaller, but I tell people it’s kind of like a mini Norton,” Johnson said of Overton. “Sports is the hub of the community and people rally around that.”

After his KSHSAA Hall of Fame induction, droves of people in the Norton community as well as Johnson’s coaching peers took to social media to congratulate the legendary coach. 

“Legend of a coach and amazing person overall,” said Kit Harris, former Baldwin coach and current Baker University women’s wrestling coach. “This man has a ton of respect throughout the entire state. Great person to get to know and he has done so much for the sport statewide.”

“A great coach and even better person,” WaKeeney-Trego athletic director and wrestling coach Jeremy Samson said. “Well deserved.”

Johnson said he’s enjoyed building relationships with the coaching fraternity in the state. 

“There was that bond for us coaches,” Johnson said. “We were fierce rivals when we were facing off, but we shared a lot with each other and talked really well with each other.”

Johnson said he credits the Hall of Fame honor to his family and everyone in the Norton wrestling community.

“This honor is not for me,” said Johnson, who has three sons and a daughter with his wife, Joy. “It is for my family putting up with (his coaching career), No. 1. And for all my ex-wrestlers, assistant coaches and the entire Norton Community High School and the entire Norton community, because they supported me so much throughout the years.”