Norris Winner Excels in Valuable Roles
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
April 19, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The first thing Michael Gentry did after showing up for a freshman/junior varsity football doubleheader was pull out a new white hat, presenting it to a young official working as the referee for the first time – the first act of encouragement that eased the up-and-comer’s anxiety throughout the game.
Another former pupil wrote of how, no matter if a game was five minutes or 50 from his mentor’s house, Gentry always was there – and a list of observations and pointers would be under that young official’s windshield wipers when he arrived at his car to go home.
Gentry always has made it a priority to help young officials realize their potential, wrote another, often giving those eager to learn places on his crew.
“To this day, I derive more pleasure from passing on what I know and helping people take advantage of the resources that are there for them nowadays,” Gentry said. “I had dinner with one of (the officials I mentored) … and he told me he still has the pen-and-paper evaluations I did and still reviews them to this day, and that just stuns me. I never realized the impact you can have on fledgling officials.”
That impact, along with his continued success as one of Michigan’s top high school officials in a variety of sports, has earned Gentry the MHSAA’s Vern L. Norris Award for 2017.
The Norris Award is presented annually to a veteran official who has been active in a local officials association, has mentored other officials, and has been involved in officials’ education. It is named for Vern L. Norris, who served as executive director of the MHSAA from 1978-86 and was well-respected by officials on the state and national levels.
Gentry will be honored at the Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet on May 6 at Eagle Eye Golf Club in East Lansing. He is in his 38th year as an MHSAA-registered official, this school year for football, basketball and baseball, and has worked MHSAA Finals in four tournaments (boys and girls basketball separately) and 10 championship games total during his tenure serving Michigan’s high school athletes.
A member of the Metro Detroit Officials Association, Gentry has officiated MHSAA Finals in baseball (1992, 1999, 2003, 2010), football (1994, 2005, 2010, 2016), boys basketball (2008) and girls basketball (2013) and most recently the Division 4 Football Final on Nov. 25 between Grand Rapids Catholic Central and Detroit Country Day at Ford Field.
He’s also mentored or assisted in guiding a number of young officials from his community over the years and frequently served as a presenter and clinician at local and MHSAA clinics and officials meetings.
“Michael Gentry’s work encompasses all that is recognized by the Vern L. Norris Award,” MHSAA Executive Director John E. “Jack” Roberts said. “He’s at the top of his game on the field. But his contributions off the field recruiting and mentoring young officials are just as significant. Ask those who have had an opportunity to receive his guidance, and they’ll describe him as selfless, dedicated and truly invested in building up the next generation.”
Gentry initially hoped to stay in athletics as a coach after graduating from Harper Woods Notre Dame High School in 1971. He had played basketball as a freshman in high school and also as part of Detroit’s Catholic Youth Organization athletic program growing up, and he had coached CYO teams for nearly a decade when one of his players’ parents who also served as a local referee suggested Gentry give officiating a try.
He first registered as an MHSAA official for the 1978-79 school year and was mentored early on by Detroit’s Ted Wilson, the eventual first recipient of the Norris Award in 1992.
“He was very instrumental in getting me games, higher profile games, games when I started out at the junior high level, and really forging a path for me,” Gentry said. “As a matter of fact, the first Regional in basketball I worked was with Ted, and although I don’t know it for a fact, I’m pretty darn sure he was the reason I was on that game with him.”
Following Wilson’s lead, Gentry took an interest in not just officiating, but teaching others how to do so. His current football crew includes six officials he helped mentor, including three who are 25 or younger.
A number of officials who have been mentored by Gentry and the Macomb association have gone on to work not just high-level high school games, but at the college level. One of them, Nick Meyer, now officiates in the National Basketball Association’s D-League.
Gentry, who also has officiated at the Division III college level, took classes at Macomb Community College and Wayne State University after high school before taking a fulltime job at General Motors. For the last 20 years he has worked for Carmela Specialty Foods in Clinton Township, currently as the chief operating officer of the wine division.
While that role has come with more responsibility, his fulltime bosses have been supportive of his officiating avocation – and Gentry plans to keep on as long as he’s able.
“It’s a question I ask myself all the time – why do I love it – and basically, it’s like an addiction,” Gentry said. “When the season is over, I get near depression; I just wait for the next season to start. I don’t know what it is. Part of it is the job and doing it well as an individual, and getting together with other people as a unit and doing a good job. There’s satisfaction in that.
“As a football crew we joke, when we hear coaches say, ‘Here comes Gentry’s crew,’ we take that as a good sign. They realize they’re not getting away with anything.”
Gentry was inducted into the Detroit Catholic High School League Hall of Fame in 1996. He also is a dedicated contributor to his parish community at St. Isidore Church in Macomb.
Previous recipients of the Norris Award
1992 – Ted Wilson, East Detroit
1993 – Fred Briggs, Burton
1994 – Joe Brodie, Flat Rock
1995 – Jim Massar, Flint
1996 – Jim Lamoreaux, St. Ignace
1997 – Ken Myllyla, Escanaba
1998 – Blake Hagman, Kalamazoo
1999 – Richard Kalahar, Jackson
2000 – Barb Beckett, Traverse City; Karl Newingham, Bay City
2001 – Herb Lipschultz, Kalamazoo
2002 – Robert Scholie, Hancock
2003 – Ron Nagy, Hazel Park
2004 – Carl Van Heck, Grand Rapids
2005 – Bruce Moss, Alma
2006 – Jeanne Skinner, Grand Rapids
2007 – Terry Wakeley, Grayling
2008 – Will Lynch, Honor
2009 – James Danhoff, Richland
2010 – John Juday, Sr., Petoskey
2011 – Robert Williams, Redford
2012 – Lyle Berry, Rockford
2013 – Tom Minter, Okemos
2014 – Hugh R. Jewell, West Bloomfield
2015 – Sam Davis, Lansing
2016 – Linda Hoover, Marshall
High school game officials with 20, 30, 40, 45 and 50 years of service also will be honored at the Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet on May 6.
Seventeen officials with 50 or more years of service will be honored, along with 26 officials with 45 years. A 40-year award will be presented to 68 officials. In addition, 97 officials with 30 years and 190 officials with 20 years of experience will be honored. With the induction of this year’s group of 398, the honor roll of officials who have aided young student-athletes grows to 10,595 since the inception of the banquet in 1980.
Tickets for the banquet are available to the public and priced at $20. They will not be sold at the door. Tickets can be ordered by calling the MHSAA office at (517) 332-5046 or by sending the order form. Deadline to order is April 27.
MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
20, 30, 40, 45 & 50-YEAR OFFICIALS
The officials on this list will receive their 20, 30, 40, 45 or 50-year service awards at the 38th annual Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet on May 6 at Eagle Eye Golf Club in East Lansing.
20 YEAR OFFICIALS
Adrian - Bill Collins
Adrian - Paul D. Noce
Albion - Mary Ann Egnatuk
Allen - Christopher L. Adams
Allendale - Arnulfo S. Perez
Alma - Jillane S. McDonald-Sandro
Alma - Jennifer L. Shearer
Ann Arbor - David M. Siegle
Auburn Hills - Michael J. Rossi
Battle Creek - Jonathan E. Dolbee
Battle Creek - Dustin M. Fox
Battle Creek - Michael J. Whalen
Belleville - Keith J. Kennedy
Blissfield - Neil L. Heiden
Britton - Rex A. Forsyth
Bronson - Michael G. Sellers
Brownstown Township - Anthony J. Jesue
Byron Center - Michael S. Sturm
Canton - Bryan C. Earl
Canton - Michael F. Guzowski
Charlotte - James E. Hoyt
Chassell - Vickie L. Lobeck
Clare - Christopher T. Gibson
Clarkston - Darwin Conley
Clinton - Dan J. Jurasek
Clinton Township - Vincent J. Garofalo
Clio - David L. Prevost
Comstock Park - Sam Weatherwax
Constantine - William H. Wright
Coopersville - Ben Hondorp
Davison - Steven K. Barbeau
Dearborn - Kevin R. Wilkinson
Dearborn Heights - Julie A. Ader
Detroit - Sean L. Murphy
DeWitt - Patrick M. McDonnell
Dexter - David R. Steptoe
East China - Wayne D. Biscorner
East Jordan - Phyllis A. Olszewski
Essexville - Roland W. Swartout
Farmington - Dennis K. Miller
Farmington Hills - Ken R. Holzheimer
Farmington Hills - Kevin N. Short
Fenton - James M. Anderson
Flint - Ricky E. McQueary
Flint - John L. Perrine
Fountain - Sean R. Sutcliffe
Fowlerville - Nick Douglass
Fremont - Jan L. Burch
Garden City - Gregory Kozub
Gaylord - John B. Carrick
Gladstone - Russell W. Hall
Gladstone - Gerald E. Kulbertis
Grand Blanc - Brian S. Kita
Grand Blanc - Albert L. Mason
Grand Ledge - Timothy D. Marsh
Grand Rapids - Michael Hillary
Grand Rapids - Marc E. Miedema
Grand Rapids - Marc Van Maldegen
Greenville - Greg L. King
Grosse Pointe Farms - John B. Rucinski
Gwinn - Kevin V. Thomma
Hanover - James D. Hose
Harper Woods - April A. Martin
Hillsdale - Daniel C. Laws
Holland - Timothy H. Howell
Holland - Michael R. Jaeger
Holland - Ronald A. Kamper
Holland - Stephen L. Todd
Holly - Anthony G. Engelberg
Holt - Michael A. Dunlap
Holt - Daniel Grady
Howell - John B. Gendron
Howell - Dan W. Jeffery Jr.
Howell - Kyle N. Richardson
Hudsonville - Kevin D. Bayko
Indian River - Gary L. Campbell
Ironwood - Daniel M. Finco
Jackson - Jeff L. McDaniels
Jackson - Jason C. Smith
Jackson - Randy R. Straub
Jonesville - Brian P. Stroble
Kalamazoo - Steven J. Bradstreet
Kalamazoo - Julie A. Cain-Derouin
Kalamazoo - Christopher G. Caldwell
Kalamazoo - Robert N. Cole Sr.
Kalamazoo - Mike E. Daugherty
Kalamazoo - Douglas G. Davidson
Kentwood - Dave C. Rost
Kentwood - Craig S. Workman
Kimball - Scott L. DesJardin
Kingsford - Greg J. Hendricks
Kingston - Tammy S. Brzezinski
Lansing - Terry R. Bernath
Lansing - William F. Burmeister
Lansing - Dawn M. Carson
Lansing - Nichole M. Fisher
Lapeer - James R. Farrand
LaSalle - Donald L. Jones
Livonia - Krista Hobbins
Livonia - Michael E. Sensoli
Lowell - Barry Hobrla
Ludington - James D. Bowen Jr.
Ludington - Les W. Johnson
Ludington - John E. Shay
Ludington - Paul R. Spaniola
Macomb - Douglas A. Crenshaw
Macomb - Joseph T. Latorre
Macomb - Richard T. Paperd
Macomb - Jeffrey J. Zielinski
Madison Heights - Joseph F. Young
Marinette - Al D. Mathy
Marlette - Susanne M. Burton
Marshall - Randy L. Blum
Mattawan - Paul P. Eggers
Mattawan - Chuck Rawsthorne
McBain - Paul Shaarda
Middleville - Jeffrey J. Kenyon
Midland - William A. Larson
Milan - Gary A. Blackford
Milford - John M. Cecil
Milford - Norman Kawaelde
Millington - Byron W. Drew
Monroe - Kenneth J. Bausman
Monroe - Michael G. Gaynier
Monroe - Christopher M. Haut
Monroe - Mark E. Leach
Morenci - Ryan W. Kast
Muskegon - Jeffery A. Dunn
Muskegon - Brad A. Swain
Muskegon - Michael S. Taylor
Muskegon - Leonard T. Vargas
Nashville - Steven L. Hopkins II
New Boston - David J. Sichterman
Novi - Donald A. Fralick
Oak Park - Jason F. Haluscsak
Owosso - Frank D. Tew Jr.
Paw Paw - Chad M. Szymczak
Pinckney - Michael L. Rose
Pittsford - John T. Hoeft
Plymouth - Paul E. Woodard
Port Huron - Jesus E. Castillo Jr.
Ravenna - Ken J. Punter
Reading - Eugene L. Miller
Redford - Michael R. Jackson
Redford - Michael Ross
Richland - John P. Nadzam
Richland - Anthony J. Vanlerberghe
Richmond - Gary R. Niebauer
Riverview - William M. Ellington
Riverview - Dominic Frontera
Rochester Hills - Robert T. Bobbitt
Rogers City - Cory A. Davis
Romulus - Donald L. Hamilton
Roscommon - Rodney C. Patterson
Roscommon - Stephen M. Reinke
Roseville - Michael J. Iwasko
Royal Oak - Michael M. Beaulieu
Saginaw - Robert (Terry) DeLand
Saginaw - Guy A. Marcoux
Scotts - Ruben D. Rosalin
Shelby Township - Beth M. Karle
Shelby Twp - Cary A. Stearnes
Shepherd - Gerald F. DeVall
Spring Arbor - Erika L. Raffin
St Louis - Kurt W. Ballien
Sterling Heights - Steven A. Matthews
Sterling Hts - Darron E. Bell
Sturgis - Darrell D. Peugeot
Sunfield - Bruce L. Elliott
Swartz Creek - Scott M. Lovely
Taylor - Michael T. Sarandrea
Toledo - Gregory S. Shoffer
Traverse City - Billie D. Drake
Traverse City - Edward N. O'Brien
Traverse City - Alan J. Waisanen
Troy - Craig R. Smith
Unionville - Douglas E. Coon
Waterford - Laurence K. Campbell
Waterford - Matthew R. Tilley
Wauseon - Ken D. Baumgartner
Weidman - Timothy W. Todd
West Bloomfield - Gary Devine
West Bloomfield - Alain Moore
White Lake - Ryan T. Negoshian
Whitehall - Kurt J. Huizenga
Williamston - Daniel L. Grooms
Wixom - Michael P. Fischer
Wyoming - Frederick S. Adrian
Wyoming - Jeffrey M. Hudson
Zeeland - Derk D. Teusink
30 YEAR OFFICIALS
Ada - Mike Terwilliger
Allegan - John M. Bishop
Ann Arbor - Jon M. Keith
Battle Creek - Malcomb K. Crawford
Bay City - Mark A. Bauer
Bay City - Rollin P. Fawcett
Big Rapids - Jeffrey S. Jennings
Boardman - Lynette S. Angood
Brownstown Township - Peter J. Bean
Buchanan - Randy L. Bicard
Burton - Darrick J. Puffer
Byron - Gregory A. Finch
Byron Center - Marvin J. Heasley
Casco Township - John E. Ward
Cedarville - LeRoy J. Pieri
Clark Lake - Mark G. Snyder
Clawson - Richard O. Szalma
Constantine - Dale W. Wentela
Dearborn - Mike E. Unger
Dearborn Heights - Phil L. Shannon
Eaton Rapids - William DeFrance
Escanaba - Gary D. Buckley
Farwell - Douglas J. Haggart
Flint - Joe H. Wheeler
Flushing - Steven J. Berriman
Flushing - Clarence E. Turner
Frankenmuth - Joe Ricard
Frankfort - Michael R. Fought
Frederic - Randall L. Holecheck
Gaylord - Ralph L. Galbraith
Gibraltar - Brian F. Herman
Grand Blanc - Brian J. Parr
Grand Rapids - Sharon K. Dekleine
Grandville - Geoffrey R. Goodyear
Grayling - Robert G. Gingerich
Grosse Pointe Woods - Tom C. Elsey
Holland - Michael D. Bos
Ida - Gary M. Miller
Ithaca - James J. Wideman
Jenison - Thomas A. Kragt
Kalamazoo - Loren L. Heun
Kalamazoo - Charles E. Kinnane
Lake Isabella - Kevin L. Fountain
Lake Leelanau - Glenn E. Huntley
Lake Orion - Lyle G. Sanderson
Lansing - Ronald R. Smoker
Livonia - Michael Wynn
Marquette - Barry C. James
Mason - Clinton M. Chadwell
Midland - Steve V. Weiger
Millington - Timothy P. Walter
Muskegon - Michael R. Cribbs
Muskegon - Matthew E. Preston
Nashville - Michael P. Meade Sr.
Negaunee - Glen Nelson
New Boston - William D. Spiecker
Newaygo - Raymond R. Bauer
Newberry - Rob J. Depew
Olivet - Douglas A. Thering
Owosso - Scott A. Schooley
Owosso - Robert K. Stinson
Pickford - Gregory M. Ledy
Pigeon - Catherine J. Dayak
Plymouth - Mike A. Kavulich
Portage - John J. Creek
Portage - Gregg D. Langley
Portage - John M. VanElk
Reading - Brian J. Hinkley
Romulus - Bill J. Miller
Roseville - Darin M. Gilbert Sr.
Royal Oak - Thomas Eschmann
Saginaw - Carl D. Miller
Saginaw - David A. O'Dell
Saginaw - Calvin L. Robinson
Sault Ste Marie - Billy R. Norton
Sawyer - Scott A. Ponegalek
Scottville - Benjamin E. Nelson
Shelby Township - James F. Plutschuck
Spring Arbor - Brad L. Buter
St Ignace - Gary L. McDonald
Standish - Rod L. Russell
Three Rivers - Kevin R. Tavernier
Traverse City - Roger D. Heeres
Traverse City - John T. Irwin
Traverse City - James D. Szur
Traverse City - Curtis A. Wolf
Vicksburg - Warner C. Offord Jr.
Warren - Kenneth J. Kaschalk
Waterford - Gillie A. David
Wayland - Richard T. May
West Bloomfield - Sheldon G. Larky
West Bloomfield - Lamont Simpson
Westland - Terrence E. Madigan
Wyoming - Gary A. Kuipers
Wyoming - Thomas J. Oosterbaan
Wyoming - Alan D. Woodcox
Zeeland - Carey M. Strykowski
40 YEAR OFFICIALS
Adrian - Don C. Fry
Alma - Bruce M. Moss
Almont - Thomas H. Abraham
Battle Creek - Joseph L. Kurti
Belding - Robert A. Youngs
Benton Harbor - Eleanor V. Dorow
Bristol - David J. Blough
Brooklyn - Thomas W. Crampton
Brown City - Richard Lee
Burton - Rosalie A. Howell
Burton - Steven A. Johnson
Clinton Township - Stephen D. Stuckey
Clio - Dale E. Sneller
Davison - Douglas C. Dillon
Davison - Randy Hutton
Detroit - Patricia E. Jones
Detroit - Bertha M. Smiley
DeWitt - John C. Hoekje
Farmington Hills - John D. Scott
Fenton - Richard D. Massa
Frankenmuth - Dennis Krafft
Galesburg - Wayne C. Patterson
Gladstone - David P. Gagnon
Gowen - Lennda J. Brown
Grand Haven - David B. Parsons
Grand Rapids - Tommy Chambers
Hazel Park - Ronald R. Nagy
Highland - Deborah S. Heck
Imlay City - Jeff M. Weingartz
Ionia - Paul D. Carmichael
Iron Mountain - John J. Sacchetti
Iron Mountain - Doug A. Schupp
Ironwood - Jeff D. Haapoja
Jackson - Douglas J. VanArsdalen
Kalamazoo - Kirk G. Hart
Kalamazoo - Christine M. Juszczyk
Lambertville - Thomas C. Williams
Lansing - George D. Runciman
Lansing - Bryan L. Smith
Macomb - Dennis M. Steele
Mancelona - Robert W. Sanders
Manistee - Tom L. Guenthardt
Muskegon - Jeffery A. Burr
Negaunee - Philip M. DeGabriele
New Buffalo - Jack P. Kennedy
Northville - John M. Fundukian
Norton Shores - Richard L. Anderegg
Norton Shores - Jim Tate
Petersburg - Richard A. Ley
Plymouth - Thomas J. Poma
Port Huron - Ray S. Cornwell
Posen - Frank Wozniak
Rapid River - Jeffrey A. Schram
Saginaw - Charles S. Sherman
Saginaw - Suzanne R. Swanton
Saginaw - William Turner
Sebewaing - Paul K. Geiger
Shelby Township - Michael L. Hessen
St Clair - Garth E. Jones
St Clair Shores - Roy W. Vorhees
St Louis - Michael R. Allen
Sturgis - David R. Cherry
Trenton - Max Monas
Troy - Joseph E. Thilman
Troy - Dennis W. Wedell
Warren - Kenneth C. Baker
Warren - Larry R. Leeper
Williamston - Michael A. Nestell
45 YEAR OFFICIALS
Battle Creek - Charles M. Hobbs
Blissfield - Darrell W. Polter
Bloomingdale - Clyde Line
Brighton - Bruce D. Ritter
Colon - Lloyd D. Teller
Davison - Patrick J. McKenna
Farmington - Raymond A. Cranston
Fremont - Ronald E. Mousel
Grand Rapids - Michael J. Cronkright
Grand Rapids - Tom J. Essenburg
Grand Rapids - Bryan P. Lillis
Howell - James L. Downs
Iron Mountain - Kenneth E. Marchetti
Ithaca - John P. Raducha
Lansing - Daniel J. Jimenez
Plymouth - Brian F. Foust
Saginaw - John B. Musulin
Spring Lake - William J. Fritsma
Spruce - Leslie L. Miller
St Clair Shores - George Mihalic Jr.
St Joseph - Frederick A. Fenrick
Taylor - Alphonse P. Ruffner
Tekonsha - Brian C. Briegel
Warren - Thomas J. Lieckfelt
Westland - James J. McPartlin |
Wyoming - Robert L. Stewart
50 YEAR OFFICIALS
Adrian - James I. Kerekes
Alto - Paul L. VanOveren
Battle Creek - James P. Hayes
Caledonia - James P. Uyl
Florence - Dennis R. DeMerse
Grand Blanc - James Lott
Grand Rapids - Kenneth H. Terpstra
Haslett - Rodney H. Horton
Jenison - Frank P. Scalabrino
Middleton - Jim G. Niemiec
Negaunee - Roland K. Koski
Rochester Hills - Cecil R. Haggard
Rochester Hills - Walter E. Popyk
Rockford - Larry M. Taylor
Trenton - Arthur E. Wegienka
Ubly - Jerome J. Messing
West Bloomfield - Alan K. Kaczander
PHOTOS: (Top) Michael Gentry signals a change of possession while Detroit Country Day players cheer during this past season's Division 4 Final. (Middle) Gentry keeps an eye on the action as a side judge alongside back judge Nicole Randolph at Ford Field.
Johnson Family Reunion: Tuesday will Bring Together Officiating Brothers, Coaching Cousins
By
Mike Dunn
Special for MHSAA.com
December 12, 2025
GAYLORD – What a night it will be.
The Big North Conference game this Tuesday between visiting Traverse City Central and host Gaylord has a coaching connection that will be a draw in itself. Central is led by former Gaylord hoops standout Luke Johnson, while Gaylord is coached by Luke’s cousin Justin Johnson – another past Blue Devils hoops standout who graduated in 1995 with school records for single-game, single-season and career 3-pointers.
Luke graduated in 1997 as Gaylord’s all-time leading scorer with 1,571 points and went on to play four years at Central Michigan University. He coached the boys at Elk Rapids for 14 seasons and is now in his second year coaching in Traverse City, where he is also an assistant principal at Traverse City East Middle School. Justin, owner and operator of the local Bulldog Painting business, is in his first year as the Blue Devils’ head coach after serving previously as the JV coach.
The cousins were Gaylord teammates on the storied 1994-95 team that captured the District title with a thrilling come-from-behind victory at the old Petoskey gym. They will be facing each other as head coaches on the hardwood for the first time – and Justin’s son Carter, a junior wing, is in his first year on the Gaylord varsity.
On top of that, the Johnson cousins will be coaching against each other in the gymnasium named after Luke’s grandfather Jim Mongeau. Ironically enough, the Jim Mongeau gymnasium was dedicated on December 16, 1994, the same day 31 years before.
If that was solely the storyline for Tuesday’s game, it would make for a memorable occasion.
But there is more to this story … much more.
Three brothers with whistles
As it turns out, the biggest storyline of this memorable night is the officiating crew.
Not only will Luke and Justin be facing off Tuesday with Justin’s son also competing on the floor, but the three men wearing the striped shirts with whistles around their necks will be Johnson brothers Tommy, Steve, and Dave. Tom is Luke’s dad, and Steve is Justin Johnson’s father.
Between them, there is more than 125 years of hardwood officiating experience: Tom is in his 50th year, Steve is in his 45th, and Dave in his 32nd season.
The brothers have worked together more times than they can count over the decades, though not as much in recent years. Tom has had his own crew of officials for a while. Steve and Dave have teamed with Charlie Lovelace to form their own crew.
Tuesday’s game in Gaylord will be the first time any of the brothers have worked a game coached by Luke or Justin.
And it very well could be the final time the three brothers officiate a game together. In fact, this is quite likely given the present circumstances.
Tom’s battle with cancer
Tom has inoperable pancreatic cancer and is undergoing regular chemotherapy treatments. Just the fact that he is still actively officiating this season is remarkable in one way, given his prognosis, and yet not remarkable at all for anyone who knows Tommy and the inner drive and mental toughness that is so much a part of his make-up – character traits he has exhibited since the glory days in the late 1960s when he was a star student-athlete competing for Gaylord in football, basketball, and baseball.
That inner drive and willingness to persevere continue to serve Tom well, especially during this challenging season of life.
As Steve said, “Tommy definitely has the Johnson gift of stubbornness.”
And Dave agreed: “Tommy is fighting this with everything he has. He’s gonna go down swinging, because that’s just who he is.”
Tom has been very open about his battle with cancer. He was diagnosed Nov. 13, 2023, and at one point his weight was down to 138 pounds.
Tom was at home in his favorite chair in February with wife Jenni tending to him – “My wife’s been a saint through all this and the best nurse I’ve ever had,” he noted – when he made a decision.
“I told my wife if I just sit here in this chair, I’m gonna die and I don’t want to just give in to this,” Tom said.
“I made up my mind right then that I’m gonna take the proactive approach to this. I’m gonna live till I die. People think I’m being funny when I say that, but I’m serious. I’m gonna live till I die. I’m not gonna sit out the rest of my life. It’s all in the hands of the good Lord, and He’s the One who’s gonna let me know when my time comes.”
Tom retired as a physical education teacher at Gaylord in 2007 but has continued to coach as well as officiate volleyball, basketball and baseball. Because of recent developments, Tom was initially going to give up coaching the Gaylord boys golf team last spring but opted to stay on, extending his coaching career that dates back 49 years at Gaylord and includes a long stint as the varsity boys hoops coach from 1987-97 and then 2003-07 in addition to being the freshmen football coach for a stint, the baseball coach, and, for the past 16 years, the boys golf coach.
“The golf kids were great to work with,” Tom recalled. “I had some limitations, and they accepted and adapted and it was actually a fun season.”
‘I want to be out there’
Fast forward to the present school year. It would have been easy for Tom to lay down his whistle, but he’s not ready for that. He officiated about 30 nights during the volleyball season, and that went pretty well. Now he plans to continue officiating basketball as long as he is physically able and knows he can still call a good game.
“I just want to be out there doing one of the things God has designed for me to do,” he said. “I still enjoy it. We set a goal at the start of the school year to get through the volleyball season first and make it to Thanksgiving, and we’ve met that goal. The next goal is Christmas. And we’ll set other goals after that. But in the meantime, I plan to stay as active as I can doing things I love doing.”
Tom plans to officiate the full basketball season, as God enables him. The one date he is especially looking forward to, though, is Tuesday, Dec. 16.
“It’ll be a great night,” Tom said. “I’ve reffed numerous games at ‘The Mong’ since it opened in 1995, but this will be a very special night not just for me but for all the Johnson family.
“I only hope in the midst of it I can communicate in some way how much I have appreciated the Gaylord community over the years and how much I’ve loved being a part of this community along with my family, and especially being part of Gaylord schools for so many years.”
Tom has quite a unique history with Gaylord basketball as a player and a coach. Tom played in the final high school game in the old community center during his junior year and played in the first game at the old gym that now serves as the middle school gym. He also coached the final high school game at the old gym during the 1994-95 season and coached the first game played at the newly-dedicated Jim Mongeau Gymnasium in January of 1995 against St. Ignace.
He also coached the amazing District championship game against favored Petoskey in its old gym packed to the rafters that March of 1995, a game that many still talk about to this day. The Blue Devils, with Justin knocking down the long ones and Luke distributing and driving through the lane, narrowly edged the excellent Petoskey team that featured Trevor Huffman and John Flynn.
Brennan Fitzek hit what proved to be the game-winning shot in the waning seconds, and Gaylord made a final stop on defense to secure the hard-earned trophy.
"We had some epic battles with Petoskey in those days," Tom said. "Petoskey had some great teams with Huffman and Flynn and a great coach in Dennis Starkey, who is still a friend to this day. It was tremendous competition."
‘I was just mowing’
It was Dave Johnson, the youngest of the brothers, who first had the idea of officiating the Dec. 16 game together.
“I was just mowing my grass one day soon after Justin was hired as the varsity coach and thinking ahead about the night when Luke comes from T.C. Central to play Gaylord,” Dave recalled. “Here you have the two coaches who are cousins from Gaylord facing each other in the gym named after their grandfather and Justin’s son playing for Gaylord on top of that. Wouldn’t it be cool if we three brothers could officiate the game that night?”
Dave dismounted the mower then and there and made phone calls to Steve and Tommy to see what they thought about the possibility. Then they contacted Luke and Justin and, before very long, everything was set in motion.
“The stars all aligned,” Dave said with a chuckle. “Justin and Luke were both on board with it, and they got the approval of their ADs. Everything that needed to happen for this to come together happened. It’s gonna be a great night and a historic night.”
When the family got together for a meal in September to celebrate Tom’s birthday, all the details about the Dec. 16 game were discussed. By the time the meal was over, everything was ironed out and everyone was in agreement.
“There’s so much nostalgia and history wrapped up in this one night,” Dave noted. “You have Tommy, the son-in-law of Jim Mongeau, in his 50th year officiating. To me, this night is really a tribute to Tommy and Jen and their lives revolving around Gaylord athletics.”
It will be a milestone night in another way.
“This will probably be the final time we three brothers have the chance to officiate a game together,” Dave said. “Steve is working through a knee injury right now, and my health is not what it used to be either. But if this is our final game as an officiating crew, we couldn’t have picked a better one.”
Steve’s knee has been giving him fits lately and, for the first time in 45 seasons, has caused him to miss some games because of an injury. He is hoping to recover well enough to return to the floor in January and resume a normal schedule.
There is only one game Steve will officiate in the whole month of December, and it’s the one game he wouldn’t miss for anything.
“I know it’ll be one of the best nights of my life,” Steve said. “How great it’ll be for Dave and I to get to work with Tommy again and to see all the people there. It’ll be a night for reflecting on so many memories and making some new ones.”
Looking forward
“I’m thrilled with how this has all come together,” Luke said. “This night will not only be a great tribute to my dad but to a family that’s been involved in Gaylord athletics for 50-plus years.
“If you include my grandfather, then you’re going back 70 years or more with Gaylord. I know my dad impacted a lot of lives as a teacher and a coach over the years, and my grandfather had the same kind of legacy before him.”
Luke is naturally excited for the game itself but more excited for the moment, especially given his dad’s health challenges.
“Obviously, the circumstances with my dad create a different perspective for the night,” he added. “My hope is we can just soak in the history and enjoy the moment and not let it rush by. We likely won’t have another night like this one.”
PHOTOS (Top) Brothers, from left, Steve, Dave and Tom Johnson – here at Gaylord High School – will referee the varsity boys basketball game Tuesday between Gaylord and Traverse City Central. (2) Cousins Luke Johnson, left, and Justin Johnson are the varsity coaches for Traverse City Central and Gaylord, respectively. (3) The Johnson brothers, here during their younger days, have a combined 127 yards of officiating to their credit. (4) Tom Johnson is in his 50th season officiating, a run filled with many memories including refereeing his grandson’s game at Elk Rapids (lower left). (5) This collage, from top left, includes longtime coach Jim Mongeau speaking with a Gaylord player during the 1960s, Tom Johnson coaching a player during the 1990s, and Luke now coaching. (Photos courtesy of, in part, RD Sports Photo and Photography by Joanie Moore, with others collected by the Weekly Choice and Charlevoix County News.)