There’s no denying it.
West Aurora boys basketball coach Brian Johnson is more than happy the so-called “season of the pandemic” from this past school year is in his rearview mirror.
He’s not alone.
The delayed — and then shortened — season that started with 14 straight losses and ended with his team 1-15 was no picnic for the players, the staff or the fans aligned with the proud West Aurora franchise.
That said, and I realize this might sound like sacrilege to some, that record ranks second on the list of things from 2021 that Johnson is happy to have behind him. That’s as it should be.
A serious health issue had an even bigger impact on Johnson, who completed his sixth season at West Aurora after six seasons at Kaneland.
“I was out of commission for like a month and a half,” Johnson said. “It was really scary and could have went either way at one point.”
Fortunately, this story ends well.
“It was weird,” Johnson said. “We played our last game the 10th of March. My stomach had been bothering me for a while.”
The next day, he got his scheduled second coronavirus vaccine. He felt even worse a day later, waking up with chest pains that sent him to the emergency room, where an electrocardiogram went well.
Johnson thought his symptoms were from the vaccine. But a CT scan of his stomach revealed he had diverticulitis, and he needed surgery.
“They removed a foot and a half of my colon, which is like 5 feet long,” Johnson said.
But then things went from bad to worse.
“I had trouble breathing. My chest started hurting again,” Johnson said. “The rapid response crew was in there, and a couple times, according to my wife, Katie, I had seizures. They rushed me to the ICU.
“Everything was kind of a blur, but there were just some amazing moments. The nurses were great. My doctor was outstanding.”
During a second surgery, the source of his internal bleeding was discovered, stopped and corrected.
“It was scary, definitely scary,” Johnson said.
Maybe even more so for his wife and their son, Will, a seventh grader, and daughter, Alex, a third grader.
“It gave me a different perspective on a lot of things, as far as what to value,” Johnson said. “You value that time with your family and those relationships you build with your students and players.
“I think it’s made me better as a man, a father and a husband.”
Johnson said he’s doing fine and looked good as he finished up summer basketball camp at the school and workouts and games with his team.
Was the stress from last season a factor in his condition?
Johnson — who succeeded the iconic Gordie Kerkman — doesn’t think the stress was any greater than in any other year.
“It was a crazy year in every program, and every coach dealt with it,” Johnson said. “Players dealt with it. It was a weird year. You go from nothing to having a season and rushing through it.
“I thought our kids did a good job of being in the moment, working hard and being in games and focused.”
Johnson isn’t alone in having a season he might like to forget, even at West Aurora.
Kerkman, who had 806 wins in 39 seasons, went 4-23 in 1986-87. His predecessor, John McDougal, went 4-20 in 1968-69. And Clay Rabadeaux, who had a big role in bringing Kerkman to Aurora, went 1-22 in 1962-63.
“There were a lot of learning things for me as a coach this season,” Johnson said. “If you’re not learning, you’re not getting any better.”
He hopes grinding through a season like he just experienced can be an eye opener that helps him get better.
He’s certain his health is not an issue that would prevent that.
“I’ve cut down on a few things outside of basketball, but being a teacher, being a coach, is a dream come true,” Johnson said. “If I don’t have both of them together, you feel like a piece of you is missing.
“That’s my motivation.”
His students? His team?
“They’re my second family,” Johnson said.
