Craig Johnshoy inducted into Pierz Hall of Fame
Sports | Published on November 4, 2024 at 12:35pm CST
Note: Craig Johnshoy, a 1981 graduate of Starbuck High School, was inducted into the Minnewaska Area Hall of Fame in 2022. He was a great three-sport athlete for the Bucks.
Johnshoy recently retired from teaching and coaching and was inducted into the Pierz High School Hall of Fame. Following is information about Johnshoy’s great coaching career at Pierz.
• Coach Craig Johnshoy started his coaching career in Pierz in 1989 as an assistant girls basketball coach and assistant track coach. He was the assistant girls basketball coach for 11 years, compiling a record of 177-25, for an impressive 88% winning percentage, which included two undefeated seasons. He was Section 6AA assistant girls basketball coach of the year in 1998-99.
He was Rey Zimney’s assistant coach in track for two years before taking over the head girls and boys track coaching position in 1991.
Coach Johnshoy’s teams have had a lot of success during his 30-year career. His boys teams were Central Minnesota Conference champions three times, sub-section champs three times, Minnesota High School League Section 5A champions two times and True-Team Section champions four times. Their best finish was third place in 2009 in the True-Team and the boys best finish at the State Meet was third place in 2019.
Coach Johnshoy’s girls teams have produced eight conference titles, five sub-section championships and in 1995, they were the 5A champions. Even more impressive is their true-team history; the girls have won 15 section titles and placed in the top five at the State True-Team meet six teams, including State titles in 1995 and 1996.
Coach Johnshoy has had 131 individual state meet participants and 75 of them went on to earn All-State honors. He has had two individual state champs; Beth-El Algarin in the shot put and her brother, Mathias Algarin, in the triple jump.
Coach Johnshoy has received many coaching honors over his 30-year career which includes: Central Minnesota Conference girls head Coach of the Year in 1998, six-time Section 5A Coach of the Year, 2-time Class “A” State True-Team Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996 and Minnesota Class A Boys Head Coach of the Year in 2019.
Coach Johnshoy retired from teaching and coaching in 2021. He and his wife, Marie, have two daughters, Taylor and Kirsten.
