GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — It's the last hoorah for one of the most legendary baseball coaches this state has ever seen.
"He's a great," said Eddie Esquivel, a senior on the Cherry Creek High School baseball team. "He's a great person, you know, not only just a good coach, but just a great person."
Cherry Creek's Marc Johnson is calling it a career after how many years?
"52," he said. "52 at the same high school, which is rare."
Johnson is known for his long-winded motivational speeches.
"My kids laugh all the time because I say we're going to have a meeting and they say 'Oh Lord he we go.'"
Esquivel added: "You know, he always he always comes to the field with a positive attitude always has the is. He calls it one a day like vitamins. One joke that he says it's, you know, cracks everybody up. But you know, I love him."
What's not to love?
'Coach Jay' has won eight state titles, five of them in a row. But Johnson says some of his favorite years are when he didn't win anything.
"I'm not asking you to win championships, I'm not asking you to do anything. I'm asking us to be the best we can be," he said. "And whatever it is based on the talent, the luck, whatever the situation may be of that time. That's what it's been all about."
Retiring alongside him is his long-time right hand man, Pete Blake.
"He's been a volunteer assistant for me for 40 years, a volunteer," Johnson explained.
But on this farewell tour, Johnson just faced Regis Jesuit for one final time: "It is a rivalry, but it's a friendly rivalry."
Raiders' head coach Matt Darr gave the ultimate gift to Johnson.
"It was really a classic day," Johnson said. "My nickname is J-bird. And they put that on a rocking chair and gave it to me as a gift from their program. It was really first class it was a lot of fun."
"How far could this ball take? It could take you to a fantastic life."
Baseball — an ultimate teacher of life lessons.
"I try to teach kids that," Johnson said. "It's not if you're going to face adversity because you are it's how are you going to respond?"
Coach Jay has taken his own advice leaving behind one of the greatest stories ever told.
>>Watch the feature story above and catch more high school sports highlights every weekend on the 9NEWS Prep Rally!
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Sports
9NEWS+
Watch more from 9NEWS on the free 9NEWS+ app for Roku and Fire TV.
9NEWS+ has multiple live daily shows including 9NEWS Mornings, Next with Kyle Clark and 9NEWS+ Daily, an original streaming program. 9NEWS+ is where you can watch live breaking news, weather updates, and press conferences. You can also replay recent newscasts and find videos on demand of our top stories, local politics, investigations and Colorado specific features.
To download 9NEWS+ on Roku search for KUSA.
To download 9NEWS+ on Fire TV search for 9NEWS.
MORE WAYS TO GET 9NEWS
Subscribe to our daily 9NEWSLETTER
Download the 9NEWS APP
iTunes: http://on9news.tv/itunes
Google Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n
> Top stories curated daily just for you! Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTER to get can’t-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered right to your inbox.