Johnson to Lead US Women’s Hockey Team

Mark Johnson (pictured above, left), part of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” men’s Gold-Medal Olympic hockey team is going to share his experience this year as the coach of the 2010 women’s Olympic hockey team. Johnson, who played for Wisconsin during college and for 11 seasons in the NHL, is currently the head coach of the Wisconson women’s hockey team, a team he led to the NCAA title game for the last three seasons, winning twice. Johnson will be taking a year’s leave of absense from his regular coaching duties for this Olympic opportunity.

“I just get goose pimples. I just get really excited,” Johnson told the “Associated Press” this week. “It’s going to be a lot of fun and I’m going to have a blast doing it.”

Tryouts for the team begin on August 10 in Blaine, Minnesota. The run-up to the Olympics includes ten exhibition games, starting September 25 as well as the 2009 Four Nations Cup in Finland in November.

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