About Jerry Johnson

Jerry Johnson was born and raised in Prattville, AL. After 26 years in the U.S. Army he retired in 1993 with the rank of Sergeant Major. He remained in Beckley, West Virginia with his wife Rita after his retirement. Jerry began working with the West Virginia Greenbrier County Board of Education in the fall of 1993. There he taught JROTC at Greenbrier West High School. 
 

Jerry Johnson has been involved in Softball for over 30 years, and he has coached at every level. In 1996 he became Greenbrier West High School's first softball coach. In September 2004, he became the Pitching Coach for the Mountain State University Lady Cougars softball team. In September 2005, he was assigned the Assistant Head Coach of the MSU Lady Cougars. Jerry retired from the Greenbrier County School System in June 2005. Now he is the former Assistant Head Coach and Pitching Coach for the MSU Lady Cougars. Jerry Johnson continues to teach private pitching lessons as well as organizing and participating in pitching clinics throughout Southern West Virginia. Coach Johnson is a graduate of Columbia College and Concord University (formerly Concord College).

The Triple Pitch

I've always had the desire to come up with an original pitch. One night after pitching practice was over, I stayed in the pitching room and started throwing the ball into the back stop, trying to watch the ball as I released it. Anyone who has done this knows how difficult it is to pitch and watch the ball at the same time. I experimented with different grips, and after pitching into the back stop for several weeks I saw that I had come up with something "new." After pitching this "new" pitch a few times myself I asked one of the MSU pitchers and one of the catchers to stay after practice and pitch the pitch so I could see what it was really doing. After the first throw the catcher said "what was that?" The rest is history.

Jerry Johnson