The Paton-Churdan volleyball team has a new head coach this season.

John Johnson is a Fort Dodge native. He started playing club volleyball in high school and took his first coaching position as a volunteer assistant at Iowa Central Community College at 19 years-old. The 41 year-old has also coached at several high schools including Fort Dodge St. Edmond, Manson Northwest-Webster, Eagle Grove, Carroll and most recently at West Bend Mallard. He talks about why he took the Paton-Churdan position.

“I hate to say this, but it’s because they could pay me the money. Some of the other schools that I commuted to, since I live in Fort Dodge (and) I really enjoyed coaching at those schools, but I just couldn’t afford to drive there everyday.”

He points out that he wants to instill in his players the importance of the “team aspect” of volleyball.

“You know like in the education system. We’re kind of big in the ‘No Child Left Behind’. I’m a big believer in that when it comes to volleyball and what I mean by that is you’ve got the kid, maybe at the end of the bench that hardly gets to play and I used to be that kid. That’s helped me have a greater appreciation for every single player on the team.”

He currently works part-time as a delivery driver for an autoparts store in Fort Dodge.

Paton-Churdan opens up the season today at the Coon Rapids-Bayard tournament.