Hokie ClubJosh Johnson, who has been in the game of fastpitch for almost 30 years, is working to mold Virginia Tech into a "Pitching U" by utilizing technology that uses exercise science and data to help with the development of players.
Below is a conversation we had with Johnson.
Hokie Sports: What got you interested in biomechanics?
Johnson: Early on I was playing and I wasn't really considering coaching as a career. In the middle of a world tournament a guy came up to me and we started talking and became really good friends. He invited me to come start teaching lessons at his facility, but he also offered to teach me the system that they use and a lot of it was based on biomechanics. That's what sparked my curiosity about the study. I've been in this doctoral program in Sports Psychology, so throughout that time I've kinda looked at that science perspective. Then COVID-19 hit and a lot of opportunities for coaching education went away, so I started taking classes and here we are. Now I'm a doctoral candidate in Exercise Science.
Hokie Sports: What has it meant to be able to apply your passion of biomechanics to your other passion, the sport of softball?
Johnson: It's honestly a perfect fit because I'm learning how to be a better coach everyday. I say it's more like a doctorate in softball and I get to dictate the direction it goes. It has helped me a ton and it has sparked my curiosity to find better ways to do everything.
Hokie Sports: Why is it important to have this technology and what developments have you seen so far?
Johnson: There's something missing and to me I feel like we're going to find out what's missing through science. The most important part is starting to get rid of all the old myths of how you do this and how you do that. It's really demystifying those things and starting to put numbers to those concepts. See video below.
Hokie Sports: What has the game of softball meant to you?
Johnson: My dad was a player and I don't know if I would be in it without him. I know he always wanted to be better. He played until he was 53 years old. I think sharing that legacy has been cool. Beyond that just sitting here and thinking, I feel like this was for me. I played a lot of different things, but I finally found my home as this is my spot. With helping softball, I've always looked at this as not only do I want to make my players better, but I also want to make the game better.
Hokie Sports: Why Virginia Tech, what stands out the most about this program?
Johnson: You have the perfect storm of really athletic kids and coaches with a growth mindset. We can all collaborate to work together to find better ways to do things differently on purpose because it's the better way. I think past the players we have here now and the players that we are able to recruit can be very very special. I think we have the ability to do some big big things and to be a top 10 or a top five program. It's exciting to try and get us to that spot to get us over the hump and get us to a World Series.