The Mesa wrestling program will have its fifth wrestling coach in six seasons, but for the first time the new leader will be someone from outside of the program.

Jadon “Gator” Johnson will be wearing gold and purple for the first time, but he is very familiar with the type of athletes who roam the halls at Mesa High.

Johnson grew up within the Mesa district boundaries and would have been a Westwood kid but open enrolled at Mesa Mountain View where he won a state title as a senior in 2007. After returning from the military, he coached against the Jackrabbits as a Toro assistant and as the head coach for Skyline from 2021 to 2025.

“I need to get to know the wrestlers and the parents,” Johnson said. “I know what type of kid generally comes through Mesa and they are tough minded. It’s a good foundation to start with and now we need to start getting back to the tradition of year-round wrestling and competing the highest level to establish a culture.”

Culture had been the throughline for success at Mesa when Bobby Williams and David DiDomenico had the program winning state team titles and producing individuals champions in the late 1990s and to a lesser extent the 2000s.

Williams has been there the whole time but retired as head coach before coming back for one year (2024-25) after Mesa two-time state champion and Arizona St. national champion Anthony Robles left for Hamilton.  He was hired to replace DiDomenico in 2022 but only led this alma mater for two seasons.

DiDomenico came out of retirement last year with hopes of restoring discipline in the wrestling room and out of respect for former principal Kirk Thomas.

After restoring some of the pillars of the program, DiDomenico stepped down for good to create the opportunity for Johnson to bring in a new voice and with time some stability.

“I have already met some of the wrestlers and started to place the expectations,” said Johnson, who started the ALA Mesa North program last season. “They’ve had to wonder who is coaching them the last few years. Now, they have someone that will be here. We need to have some good turnouts, start finding out what motivates them and what events they want to compete and build from there.”

His former Mountain View coach Bob Callison, now coaching in Tennessee, said the characteristics that made Johnson successful in wrestling will allow him to point the Mesa program in the right direction.

“Gator has always been willing to work hard and that’s why he was a state champion,” Callison said. “He did three or four move really well and focused on them. He used that focus to win close matches.

“As a coach, you always hope your kids will be successful and find a way to give back. That’s what Jadon is doing. He’s giving back to the sport that has been good to him and his family. He will be good for the Mesa program and those kids.”

The Jackrabbits will bring back a handful of competitive wrestlers as Mesa finished fifth in Division I, Section II behind competitors like juniors and now seniors Kaiden Benally, Adden Jarman, Cameron Weeks, Angelo Boyd-Ortiz, and Angel Gonzalez, all of whom won at least 20 matches last season.

“My strengths as an individual and coach is to develop a drive and a passion for the sport and going out there and giving it your all. It’s about developing a mindset, and it is not just about winning the match. It starts with winning every situation and every moment.

“Be the first on the mat, the first to put on the ankle bracelet and the first to shake hands. When you do that you set the tone, and it develops a mindset.”

Now that the summer practices are starting and they begin competing in mid-June, the process of creating the mindset, identity and culture Johnson is known for, the Jackrabbits will be on their way to a new era.  

“On the technique side of the things, I’ve always thought that passion is what drives the success while technique is right next in the passenger seat. Side by side. Coach Williams is great with technique, and he will help them master their moves. We will find out what the individuals are good at, and train toward their strengths.

“Once you do that then everything else is about building something special and giving the kids some hope to hold on to.”