Longtime Acton-Boxborough boys’ and girls’ swimming coach Jeff Johnson died suddenly on February 15th. He was 74.
The death came 2 days before the Acton-Boxborough boys raced at the Massachusetts Division I High School State Championship meet. A moment of silence was held at all 4 state championship meets in honor of
He was the head coach of the boys’ team at Acton-Boxborough for 41 years and head coach of the girls’ team (which competes in the fall seasons) for 18 years. His girl’s team was the state runner-ups in the fall of 2017 and he was named the Boston Globe’s Division I Girls’ Swimming Coach of the Year. He also won that award in 2012, and was named Boys’ Coach of the Year 6 times – most recently in 2016. He was inducted into the Acton-Boxborough High School Athletics Hall of Fame in April of 2018.
His teams have won over a dozen League titles and more than 400 dual meets.
Johnson was also the founder, owner, and head coach of the Patriot Swim Club, which he founded in 1992. There he has coached 4 swimmers to New England Swimming LSC Records.
As an athlete, Johnson is a 1969 graduate of Bemidji State, where in 2010 he was inducted into the Bemidji State Hall of Fame.
One of the all time great coaches in Massachusetts history. A terrific coach who sent many swimmers on to do great things on the collegiate level. He is already missed by so many. RIP my friend.