By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Change can oftentimes be an uphill battle, producing unforeseen outcomes that result in numerous challenges that must be overcome for the success of an individual, a team and a family.
Senior utility man Gavin Johns has seen his fair share of change throughout his collegiate career. He represents the only member of the Tennessee Tech baseball team hailing from the vast state of California, presenting a challenging transition in and of itself when he transferred to Golden Eagle program last season.
He never batted an eye. Johns has experienced great success, disappointing results and painful outcomes. As a freshman, he ranked in the top-five nationally in the NJCAA in hits while at Yavapai College. His incredible season allowed him to make a change and walk-on at UCLA, where he played in 21 games with a vastly different outcome as a sophomore.
By his junior campaign, he was on the bench, sitting out his second year as a Bruin due to an injury that called into question whether he would be able to stay at his natural position of catcher. Rather than sit and wallow in the disappointment, Johns embraced two more significant changes in his life; transferring to play clear across the country and accepting a role that has challenged him each and every day.
Last season, his first in a Golden Eagle uniform, Johns wiped off the rust to play in 51 games for the purple and gold, making 45 starts between the outfield, third base, catcher, shortstop and designated hitter. The veteran was just what the youthful and relatively inexperienced 2019 Tech squad needed, particularly when the injury bug threatened the team's depth chart early and often in the season.
By November of 2019, the one the most significant changes to impact the Tech squad in recent years occurred with the transition in leadership. Thankfully, the Golden Eagles had the right man to pave the way for dealing with the new situation, a guy who had spent the better part of his career embracing the new.
Johns played a pivotal role in the process of welcoming new head coach Steve Smith into the fold, guiding his teammates through a process foreign to most of them.
"Gavin has been an integral part of maintaining and growing team unity throughout the coaching change process," Tech assistant coach Mitchell Wright expressed. "He is a fantastic communicator who cares deeply and exudes compassion for anyone he meets."
A leader in more ways than one, Johns has provided his teammates with a perfect example of what leadership looks like, and not just through the staffing changes. He stays involved in the community, giving back to the places that have helped shape him into the man he is today.
"Recently, Gavin took part in a program called 'SNAP - Student-Athlete Leadership Counsel and Clinic,'" Wright explained. "During this clinic, he helped assist and lead drills for special needs children to get active and both learn and play the sport of baseball. It's just one of many examples of who he is as a man off the diamond and outside of the classroom."
With his final season as a collegiate baseball player on the horizon and approaching at lightspeed, Johns' natural leadership and a caring attitude can only serve as a key piece into helping the Tech baseball team return to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
"Gavin is the most mature guy on the team," volunteer assistant coach Garrett Walters expressed. "He carries himself in a manner that is beyond his years. He cares more about the people around him than himself, which is why he has been such a great leader for us. Gavin has a servant's heart that he uses regularly and well. Just a small part of what makes him so special is he will always greet you with a smile, regardless if he knows you or not. That's just who he is."
It is for these qualities and dedication that Johns is the recipient of the January Unsung Leader Award.
The Unsung Leader Award is selected from student-athletes, who have been nominated by their coaching staff, for exemplifying outstanding leadership qualities during the past month. The leadership can be shown on the field, in the weight room, at practice, in the classroom, in study hall, on campus, in the community or for a student club or organization.
The award honors a varsity student-athlete who has made a positive impact on their team and the Tennessee Tech community as a whole, through his or her dedication to demonstrating leadership traits, such as:
- Keep learning, growing and improving
- Follow through with excellence
- Accomplish more than expected
- Inspire and motivate others
Photo by Tony Marable