Colorado University Athletics
OC Johnson Gets Buffs Involved With 'Operation Teammate'
April 16, 2019 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — When Jay Johnson took the job as Colorado's offensive coordinator, he brought with him an important piece of his former job — and it had nothing to do with football.
Along with Xs and Os, Johnson also brought to Boulder his connection to "Operation Teammate," an organization that helps children of members of the military, especially when those children's parents are deployed overseas.
"It all started when I was at Georgia and I got an email from Tim Montjoy (founder of Operation Teammate)," Johnson said. "We connected and started to meet. It was an interest of mine to try to find a way to give back to people in the military, and what they do in the organization really fit."
According to the organization's website, "Operation Teammate provides a solution to ease the pain for military children during challenging times throughout the year and while their parents are away from home serving our great nation. We welcome military families of all statuses and provide memorable sporting experiences to military children through Impactful Athlete Interaction. Our mission is supported by the athlete engagement and the motivational stories of these athletes during various events."
Operation Teammate events range from everything from visits to games to practices to simply intimate meetings with athletes, who talk to them about facing difficult times in life.
Johnson did not serve in the military, but his brother did serve in the Navy, so he is familiar with the obstacles military children can face.
"We try to give back to the children," Johnson said, "especially when they're experiencing separation due to deployment. What we can do can definitely be impactful."
The CU football team hosted an Operation Teammate event over the weekend, and several players — including quarterback Steven Montez, linebacker Nate Landman and tight end Brady Russell — spoke to attendees. Russell's father, Randy, served in the military.
"For the young kids, hearing from Brady was really effective and impactful," Johnson said. "They could relate to him and he knew what they were going through."
For more information on Operation Teammate, visit https://www.operationteammate.org/
