Coach Johnsen Promoted to Associate Director of Athletics and Physical Education

Friends Academy is excited to announce that after a focused search, which promoted internal talent, we have selected Coach Matt Johnsen as our new Associate Director of Athletics and Physical Education for the 2022-23 school year.

Coach Johnsen joined Friends Academy four years ago and in his time has taught Physical Education across all three divisions and coached three different varsity sports. Coach Johnsen is not only a beloved PE teacher by all Friends Academy students, but the FA teams he has coached have achieved notable success within his short tenure:

• Boys Basketball Team – Won three consecutive Conference Championships and is currently competing in the Playoffs
• Boys Golf Team – 2021 County Runner-up

As Associate Director of Athletics and Physical Education, Coach Johnsen will bring his deep experience of our Quaker mission and educational philosophy, along with a legacy of athletic excellence to the Middle School Athletics Program. He will also serve as Department Chair for Physical Education and oversee its curriculum.

“I am very excited to tackle this new challenge at Friends Academy,” Johnsen shared. “I bring over 15 years of experience in Physical Education and Section VIII Athletics to the job and I really look forward to helping Athletics continue to grow at Friends Academy.”

Prior to Friends Academy, Coach Johnsen spent 12 years teaching and coaching in the Valley Stream Central High School District. In his coaching career, he won Nassau County Coach of the Year five times, including this year at Friends Academy. In 2015, Coach Johnsen was named the Newsday Long Island Boys Basketball Coach of the Year. Coach Johnsen has and will continue to bring his incredible experience to our benches, courts, dugouts, and fields – over his career he has coached teams to two County Championships, one Long Island Championship and one team to the New York State Semi-Finals.

“In my time here, Coach Johnsen has shined through his deep knowledge of physical education and coaching,” remarked Director of Athletics Diana Parente. “Recently named Section VIII Coach of the year, Coach Johnsen excels in this arena and I welcome his experience for our entire Friends Academy community. We are very excited to welcome him into this role!”