Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.
Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/189804
FAMILY TIES A number of Badgers can find family on campus at UW: « THE CICHYS Her older sister, Rochelle, graduated from UW in May, but sophomore women's basketball player Tessa Cichy (right) now has another sibling on campus in freshman football player Jack. THE ELLIOTTS » Former Badger and current assistant women's golf coach Katie Elliott (left) will coach her sister, Alyssa, again this season as the senior rounds out her career with the Badgers in 2013-14. « THE JOHNSONS Freshman Malayna Johnson (left) joins sister Michala, who is in her second season as a Badger after transferring from UConn, on the court this season for the UW women's basketball team. THE STAVES » Sophomore Joel Stave is the football team's starting quarterback and has been joined on campus by his sister, Rachel, a three-time state champion diver who is now a freshman on the Badgers' swimming and diving team. 40 // VARSITY October 10, 2013 "WHETHER SHE SUCCEEDS AND SCORES A LOT OF GOALS AND GETS A LOT OF POINTS OR SHE JUST GETS HER DEGREE AND ENJOYS HER EXPERIENCE PLAYING HOCKEY, I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES YOU THE HAPPIEST" MARK JOHNSON SAID OF MIKAYLA. than I do the others. That was my learning experience going through it. "The relationship between me and Mikayla is a good one; she understands where she's at and I think she's comfortable in her own skin, which helps." Patrick Johnson ended up playing hockey for Mike Eaves at Wisconsin which prompted Mark to have a talk with Patrick about the long shadows that his dad and granddad might cast on his career. Mark Johnson has had the same discussion with Mikayla. "There are certain things people are going to say no matter how you're doing and you've got to be able to handle it," he said. "You just have to be prepared for it and even if you are, it's hard. "I remember when we played the Gophers and I went up to Minnesota the first time. I'm going on the ice and hearing, 'The only reason you're in uniform is because your dad is the coach.' "I remember getting the overtime winner the first night; that shut people up pretty quick." Truth is, Mark Johnson was an elite player; Mikayla is more of a role player. "She's one of those players who's going to be battling for ice time, battling for minutes; she falls into that category," Mark said. "As she continues to work and improve her ice time will probably go up. "I probably use my assistant coaches more in evaluating her than maybe I do some of the other players. I let them speak before I speak to get the true essence of what they see, and I'll respect that. "But there will be times where I'll have to take my dad hat off and put on my coaching hat and make decisions that are best for the team. I'll probably have some sleepless nights. "It's still going to be tougher on her than it is me because she's probably going to have to deal with some