Johns was born on August 9, 1951.[2] He is from the Detroit area. For a number of years he split his time between skating and Little League Baseball, where he had developed the ability to pitch both left- and right-handed. He attended regular schools during his skating career and studied at the University of Delaware in the early 1970s.[3]
Skating career
Competitive
Johns began learning to skate as a family activity when he was eight years old. He learned how to do jumps in both directions and also developed a very smooth stroking style.[3]
When his coach left the Detroit area, Johns began to work with Ronald Ludington, who insisted that he give up on baseball and concentrate of skating year-round. Ludington was responsible for pairing him up first with Mary Karen Campbell in dance, and then with Laurie Johnson in pairs.[3]
Johns and Mary Campbell became the 1973 national champions in ice dancing. They competed together at three World Championships, achieving their highest placement, 6th, in 1973.
