Hall of Fame track and field coach Brooks Johnson was an icon in the sport. Runners and hurdlers from around the world traveled to Florida to train with him. He coached four U.S. Olympic teams and had coached an athlete in every Summer Olympic Games since 1968.
In this interview, Coach Johnson shared how he approached coaching athletes others believed were past their prime—and what those lessons could teach us about life. He also talked about the mantra he lived by, why he had no plans of slowing down at 80, and how we could all learn something from jazz musicians and their ability to improvise.
Brooks Johnson died in 2024 at age 90. His lessons about aging, adaptation and continuing to grow still resonate.
