Bunnell Athletic Director Earns Top Honors

David Johnson's 28 years of service as the athletic director at Bunnell High School recently received national honors.

Out of a pool of eight national finalists, Johnson was selected in late June as the 2011 National Athletic Director of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches' Association.

At a Stratford Board of Education meeting Monday night, Johnson was presented with a certificate congratulating him on the distinguished award.

"Dave's primary emphasis throughout his tenure has been on sportsmanship and character building through athletics," said Superintendent Irene Cornish.

Before she handed the certificate to Johnson, Cornish gave a brief biography of the athletic director who took over at Bunnell High in 1982.

She said when Johnson started there were 17 athletic programs in different sports at the school, and now that number is 26. Cornish said Johnson was selected as the 2010 Connecticut Athletic Director of the Year by the Connecticut High School Coaches' Association.

The superintendent said the criteria for the national award included tenure at the high school level, coaching success based on a winning percentage, championships won, service to high school athletics and the coaching professions, and previous honors received at the high school level.

Editor's note: Check back later this week for a full profile on David Johnson.

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