Lew Johnston was the head football coach at Western Branch High School in Chesapeake, VA, for 22 years (following an 11-year stint as an assistant coach). His overall record as head coach was 163-64-3, including five southeastern district championships (1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2006) and one eastern regional championship (2002). Lew was named southeastern district Coach of the Year six times (1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002, and 2006) and was selected by the Virginia High School Coaches Association as the eastern region, division 6, Virginia Coach of the Year in 2002. The Portsmouth Sports Club (VA) honored him with its Abe Goldblatt Tidewater Scholastic Coach of the Year award in 1997, 2001, 2002, and 2006.
Coach Johnston came out of retirement in 2011 taking over the football program at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy in Suffolk, VA. During his 5 years there as head football coach, the Saints earned a berth in the state playoffs for 4 straight years (2012-15) culminating with a state championship in 2015.
Since retirement, Coach Johnston speaks at coaching clinics around the country and enjoys mentoring young coaches.