With the Winter Olympics just around the corner, it's hard to forget the triumph of the 1980 Unites States Olympic hockey team and the people who made it possible.

In an era where professional players were prohibited from playing in international competition, a group of young college hockey players overcame all the odds to win the greatest gold medal in United States Olympic history. Among those college kids was Mark Johnson, a Badger forward at the time and the current head coach of the No. 1-ranked Wisconsin women's hockey team.

Since Johnson took over the ranks in 2002, the Women's hockey team has set a new record for wins every year he has coached — a trend that will likely continue this season, as the Badgers sit atop the national standings with 23 wins.

Johnson began his coaching career at Wisconsin as an assistant coach on the men's side for six seasons.

When the Wisconsin men's hockey head coaching spot opened four years ago, many assumed the position would be his, but the UW elected to go with current head coach Mike Eaves.

Johnson shocked the hockey world by taking over a then-struggling women's program.

"I love what I'm doing right now," Johnson said. "I like being a head coach and running my own program. I love working with young kids and not just by making them better hockey players, but hopefully I present them with a role model that will make them better people after they leave the university."

Johnson's success behind the bench can be traced back to his playing days as he played for the two legendary coaches in his father, "Badger Bob" Johnson, and his Olympic coach, Herb Brooks.

Bob Johnson coached Wisconsin for 15 seasons, winning three national championships during his tenure, and today he remains the only coach to win both a national championship and a Stanley Cup final.

Brooks, who coached at the University of Minnesota, also captured three national championships on his way to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

"I think you take a little bit from all the coaches that you've had over your career," Johnson said. "I was very fortunate to play for my father as well as someone like [Brooks], but the two were quite different in their style and their outlook on the game, and right now I would have to say my coaching style more reflects my father."

During his playing days, Mark Johnson was successful at every level of competition. Here at Wisconsin, Johnson helped the Badgers to the 1977 national championship while playing for his father during his freshman campaign.

Johnson was the first Badger ever to win WCHA Rookie of the Year honors and went on to become the school's second all-time leading scorer with 256 points on a school-record 125 goals and 131 assists in just three seasons.

Following his All-American college career, Johnson went on to pursue a lifelong dream of playing hockey for his country. In 1980, Johnson and 19 others survived an 80-man tryout in front of Team USA's coaching staff.

Johnson and his new teammates began on a journey that would take them all the way to the gold medal. He wasted no time establishing himself as a prime time player, as Herb Brooks made him the center on his go-to line.

Johnson did not disappoint his coach, as he led Team USA with 11 points during their improbable run — including two goals against the Russians in the "Miracle on Ice" and a game-winning assist in the gold medal game.

"Playing in the Olympics is a big thrill for any player, to represent your country and to have the chance to do something like what we did in 1980 makes it that much more special," Johnson said. "There were a lot of highlights during the six months we were together, but it culminated by winning the gold medal and that's why you play sports because you never know how things will turn out."

What most people forget, or never knew, about Mark Johnson is the success he went on to have during his 11-year NHL career. Playing for five teams, he accumulated 508 points including an 87-point season as captain of the Hartford Whalers.

After such a storied playing career, it is no surprise that Johnson has taken his knowledge of the game to the coaching ranks.

However, someone of Johnson's magnitude in the hockey world could easily pursue a more glamorous job than his current position — but according to Johnson there is only one job for the lifelong Badger.

"In life, you have to find a balance with what you enjoy professionally and at the same time what's important to your family, and right now I have achieved that balance," Johnson said. "I searched for my niche, and I think that I found it here. I could maybe do the NHL thing, have a good month then have a bad month, and get fired. This job allows me to balance my work with my family, and right now I don't see myself finding a better situation."

It, too, would be hard for UW to find a better situation for itself.