Jun. 9—Logan Johnson has resigned after eight years as baseball head coach at his alma mater, Owensboro High School — where he starred as a player in the early 2000s.
“The decision I’ve made is basically personal — it comes down to spending more time with my family,” said Johnson, a 2003 OHS graduate. “I have two kids who are growing up, and I want to watch them play ball. It’s all about having more family time.
“It was a tough decision, growing up a Red Devil and playing in the program, and getting to come back and coach here has been a real honor. The program still means a lot to me and it always will — I’ll be around, and I’ll be a big fan.”
In seven seasons at Owensboro, Johnson, 37, fashioned a record of 90-109. This spring, OHS went 6-21, featuring a youth-laden squad that included only one senior, Ethan Gibson, who lost a 1-0 decision to No. 3 Owensboro Catholic in the first round of the 9th District Tournament.
“We have some talented older kids,” said Johnson, who just completed his first year as assistant principal at Cravens Elementary. “And, of course, we certainly have some great young talent coming up the ranks, with a lot of depth.”
Johnson’s OHS teams twice won 20 games (24-11, 2019 and 21-19, 2017), and he directed the Red Devils to the 2018 9th District Tournament championship, finishing 19-10.
Owensboro was set up for a huge 2020 campaign — featuring 10 seniors — before the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the entire KHSAA baseball season.
After a stellar athletic career at OHS, Johnson became an All-American baseball player at the University of Louisville, competing for the Cardinals in the 2007 College World Series. Subsequently, Johnson spent four quality seasons playing minor league baseball, finishing with a lifetime pro batting average of .278.
Johnson’s services at OHS will be greatly missed, according to athletic director Todd Harper.
“It is a blow not only to our baseball program, but to our athletic program as a whole,” Harper said. “Logan is a highly-respected person and coach. He’s done great things through the years for our school district, and he will continue to do great things.
“There’s nobody I trust with kids more than Logan Johnson. He’s a rule-follower, and he’s done a tremendous job as coach the entire time he has been with Owensboro High School.”
Harper said the school — which has won six KHSAA state baseball championships since 1964 — will conduct a wide-open search to find Johnson’s successor.
“I’ve posted the job online (Tuesday), and we will be taking applications immediately,” Harper said. “I am very hopeful that there will be a lot of interest in what has been one of the top baseball jobs in western Kentucky, based on our highly-successful history.
“Of course, we’re eager to find the best fit we can for our baseball program.”