Former Players Reunite With Legendary Granby Coach

SOUTHINGTON, CT — The 77th annual Gold Key Dinner began Sunday in its usual fashion, with a "Parade of Champions" consisting of past Gold Key recipients and the 2018 honorees, including winners of awards such as Coach of the Year, Athlete of the Year and Good Sports.

Per tradition, the final award winners to be introduced were the five recipients of the Gold Key, considered among the most prestigious honors in Connecticut sports. The procession down the aisle in Kay's Pier South at the Aqua Turf Club came to a brief halt, however, when one Gold Key honoree stopped walking upon catching sight of a view she had not expected.

That honoree was Dot Johnson, 7-time state championship field hockey coach at Granby Memorial High School, who became overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing an entire table full of former Bear players from her 1980 and 1982 title-winning teams, some of whom she had not seen in more than three decades.

Ten of those players were wearing their championship jackets - maroon with gold lettering and trim, the Granby colors - and they easily provided the most enthusiastic reactions among the nearly 400 attendees at the dinner.

Awaiting Johnson at her seat on the upper level of the two-tiered dais was a hand-carved gold miniature field hockey stick. Following the formal ceremony, the alumni, who came from as far away as Maine for the occasion, presented her maroon and gold pansies and a cap bearing her career record of 393-83-80, amassed over 34 seasons.

The surprise of seeing so many of her former athletes in attendance caused Johnson to break away from her prepared remarks as she accepted her Gold Key award.

“I am truly moved that you all showed up,” she said. “I really can’t say enough about them. I want to share this honor with them. Because without them, I wouldn’t be up here.”

The first field hockey state tournament was conducted in 1973 with a single open division, and Johnson and her team put Granby on the Connecticut sporting landscape by defeating Guilford, 2-1, the first-ever state title for the school. The following year, divisional tournaments began, and the Bears knocked off Lewis Mills by a 2-1 count to capture the Class M crown.

Class S championships followed in 1978, 1980, 1982 and 1985 (a co-championship with NCCC rival Canton). After a 15-year hiatus, Granby ascended to the top of the mountain one more time in 2000, defeating Shepaug Valley 1-0 in overtime for Johnson's seventh and final state title.

After finishing as runner-up to Shepaug Valley the next two seasons, Johnson stepped down as coach following the 2002 campaign, remaining as Granby's athletic director. Two of her former players, Sandy Wickman Mason and Jody Bascetta, have since directed the Bears to six more titles, giving the program a state-record 13 field hockey championships.

The alumni players could not say enough good things about their mentor.

"She was an amazing coach who really encouraged great sportsmanship and fostered a feeling of family and that we were all in it together and there to lift each other up," said Susan Flint, who played on the 1980 and 1982 championship squads. "I remember when other teams would try dirty tactics to get ahead, Miss J would remind us that we were better than that, and we would have to out play them to win. She was a great leader who taught us how to be not only great field hockey players, but great people in life."

Trish Percival said, "Miss J is a legend. There is much to be said about her coaching style, but what made her so special, in my opinion, is that even though the atmosphere was intense and the expectations were high, playing for her was so much fun. She always kept it fun. We loved her for that - and we wanted to win for her because of that."

"We will reminisce about this for years to come," Elaine Brassard said.

Numerous friends from the state field hockey scene, including some former rival coaches, were also on hand to help Johnson celebrate the moment.

"When you played against Dottie, you had to bring your whole game," said Cookie Bromage, who founded the Enfield High School field hockey program in 1967 and remains head coach today. "She was always prepared and tactical, and she worked hard at it. She truly loved the kids that played for her."

Photo credits: Gerry deSimas/Collinsville Press, Elaine Brassard

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