Hailey Koch is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Tempe High School for AZPreps365.com

Tempe High School baseball head coach Ed Johnson has made a huge positive impact for the baseball program in just two seasons.

Coach Ed came over to Tempe when the program needed him most. The previous coach had left the program in bad shape leaving Ed to lead this team in a positive direction. 

“The team had no continuity, no solid returners, no offseason program, no strength and conditioning, etc.,” Coach Ed said. 

Throughout his seasons at Tempe, coach Ed has tried to build this program up in more ways than one. Ed makes sure to focus on the basics in practice to continuously improve each game for his players. Above everything, Coach Ed focuses on what is happening off the field before he worries about anything on the field. 

“My biggest goal this season is to raise our GPA,” Coach Ed. “This has been an issue towards the end of season so much that we have to cancel our JV team.” 

Coach Ed has good relationships to have a good relationship with his players and wants what is best for each and every one of them. 

“Coach Johnson is a very down to earth person and will be 100% honest with you and keep you accountable instead of sugar coating it,” First baseman Elias Johnson said. “He wants you to progress and not cut corners.”

Even though Ed has only been coaching at Tempe for two seasons, he has coached baseball for 10 years. Ed’s coaching career started when his sons started to play ball growing up.

“I wanted to coach my sons in all sports they played, but then I noticed a huge drop off in the quality of youth coaches,” Ed said. “So I started coaching my sons and never stopped.”

Baseball is important to Ed because he has grown up with special memories with it. As a young child coach Ed found a passion for baseball and that passion followed him all the way until now. He played baseball in middle school and then played a year in high school. 

“Baseball means a lot to me,” Ed said. “It's something my father and I shared and now I get to share it with my sons.”

The program has seen changes since coach Ed has arrived at Tempe. 

“Players know that our program has tightened up,” Ed said. “Expectations are high, not just on the field but in the classroom and community.”

Coach Ed teaches his players positivity on the field. His players tend to do better when they are being lifted up by their teammates and the crowd can see that throughout games.

“He reminds us to say it's okay to make mistakes,” Player Jerome Abundis said. “Coach wants us to know we got the next play no matter what.”

Coach Ed cares about his players on and off the field. Baseball not, his players know he will be there for them. 

“It's never just about baseball,” Elias Johnson said. “Baseball is a part of your life, not your whole life and he’s helped us all understand that.”