RJ JOHNSEN
Co-Director
RJ JOHNSEN
RJ has been a coach and educator for over twenty years. He is currently the Head Varsity Baseball Coach at St Albans where he is also the Lower School Director of the Skip Grant Program. RJ spent 10 years as a fourth grade teacher, winning the 2009 St Albans Hall-Hoffman award for excellence in teaching and coaching.
RJ's style as a teacher and coach focuses on each child as an individual. He recognizes the responsibility that comes with caring for and teaching the most important thing in another parent's life and happily adjusts his lessons and practices to get the most out of each ballplayer.
RJ understands the importance of motivation, enthusiasm, empathy, and being a good teammate. He believes the way you play counts, both on and off the field and consistently stresses that your effort on the field matters more than your talent. How you treat your teammates, opponents, officials, the grounds crew, the fans, and your family is more important than your stat line.
RJ grew up in DC's Tenleytown neighborhood, attending Janney Elementary School (where he befriended Co-Director Dan Thorner), Deal Middle School, and Wilson High School where he played basketball and captained the baseball team. RJ was Honorable Mention Washington Post All-Met and USA Today All-State as a senior catcher in 1999.
RJ went on to earn a BA from the University of Rochester where he was also a four year starter for the baseball team. His play earned him 3rd team All New York State, all UAA, and all ECAC.
After graduating RJ moved to the Dominican Republic with Dan where they ran Beisbol y Libros, a non-profit after-school acadmics and baseball program in Consuelo, San Pedro de Macoris.
RJ currently lives in Falls Church, VA with his wife Sarah, daughters Lilly and Lottie, and son Boone. He fills his free time with friends and family, closely following his beloved Nationals, Redskins, Capitals and Wizards, and in his backyard where he can often be found happily working a grill and handing out delicious food and laughter.