Olympic Medalist Dave Johnson Added To Oregon State T&F Staff

Olympic Medalist Dave Johnson Added To T&F Staff
Courtesy: Athletic Communications
Release: 09/10/2013
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CORVALLIS, Ore. – Former Olympic bronze medalist and veteran athletics administrator Dave Johnson has been added to Oregon State’s track and field coaching staff as a volunteer assistant, head coach Kelly Sullivan announced Tuesday.

“Dave understands Oregon State and he knows what we’ve been doing throughout the whole process [of restarting the track and field program],” Sullivan said. “He’s wanted to be involved in some way, form or fashion and brings a lot to the table as a teacher, educator, administrator and coach.

"Not every great athlete makes a great coach and it’s important to me that Dave hasn’t just been known as an athlete and totally disengaged from what it means to be involved with young people. I’m excited, Dave is excited, our staff is excited and I know the student-athletes in our program are, too. It’s a win-win for all of us.”

“I have been a big fan of OSU since graduating from Crescent Valley in the early 1980s,” Johnson commented. “Kelly Sullivan is a proven leader and the coaching staff is first class. I am honored to be a part of the incredible future of Oregon State track and field in the state and nation.”

A multi-faceted athlete, Johnson, the bronze medalist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in the decathlon, will work with the Beavers in a variety of disciplines. With the recent completion of the first phase of the Whyte Track and Field Center, Oregon State has secured and is continuing to add talent in the throws, jumps, sprints and vault for the first time since the re-establishment of the program in 2005.

“One of the big areas that were moving into in the future is multis,” Sullivan added. “We want to be a destination for young women around the country who want to go to a school that has an emphasis in the heptathlon. Dave is another to piece to that puzzle.”

The move is a homecoming of sorts for Johnson, a graduate of Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis. He attended Western Oregon and Linn-Benton Community College before earning a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Azusa Pacific University in 1986. Johnson returned to his alma mater to receive his Master's Degree in Special Education in 2003. His family moved to Corvallis in 1980.

As a collegian, Johnson was mentored by former Olympic head coach Terry Franson, who helped him become one of the top international decathletes of his day. He competed in four straight Olympic Trials (1984, '88, '92, & '96) and earned spots on the U.S. Olympic Team twice, first in 1988, and then again in 1992.

Johnson sustained a broken foot while training for Barcelona, but battled through the injury to capture the bronze medal, becoming the first American medalist in the decathlon since Bruce Jenner's gold medal effort at the 1976 Summer Olympics. In 1986, he won his first of four (’86, ’89, ’90, ’92) U.S. Track and Field National Championships with an 8203w. He racked up the world's highest scores in both 1989 and 1990 with 8549 and 8600w points, respectively.

Off the field of competition, Johnson is best known for his role in Reebok’s “Dan and Dave” advertising and merchandising campaign leading up to those 1992 Summer Olympics, which was meant to generate excitement and support for the Olympic competition between American decathletes Dan O'Brien and Johnson.

Reebok's goal was to promote both Oregonians as they battled for the gold medal and coveted title of "World's Greatest Athlete." Unfortunately, O'Brien failed to qualify at the Olympic Trials, forcing Reebok to re-work its campaign with the focus on Johnson's pursuit of Olympic gold. “Dan and Dave” made both men household names in the United States and the duo will once again be able to go head-to-head, this time in the Pac-12. O’Brien has been a volunteer coach for the past seven seasons at Arizona State.

Following his competitive career, Johnson has worked as a motivational speaker for clients such as Reebok, IBM and VISA and he also penned a 1994 autobiography about his inspiring Olympic experience and Christian faith, Aim High. He spent two years at the Director of Athletics and Vice Principal at Jefferson High School in Jefferson, Ore. before serving a two-year stint as South Salem High School’s Director of Athletics and later in the same capacity for Corban University from 2009 to 2012.