Coach Nicki’s legacy continues off the mound
Story and photos
by COREY McMULLEN
Family person, workaholic, mentor and loyal friend.
These are different ways to describe Aztec softball pitching coach Nicki Johnson.
Born and raised in Tucson and a former Aztec herself, Johnson played for the Aztecs in 2003-2005, winning a NJCAA junior college World Series. During the World Series run, the Aztecs took on and beat the University of Arizona Wildcats.
Johnson started playing softball when she was 6 in Bobby Sox, now referred to as Baja.
Around age 10, Johnson joined her first club softball team. Johnson started taking pitching seriously when she was 12 years old. Her coach’s uncle came from California and started coaching her, and that’s when it really started to take off.
“He’s been a real inspiration to me, Coach Mando was d...