Interview with The Rocci Johnson

Rocci Johnson is a pillar in the Boise Community. From participating in countless community programs as well as supporting two sports teams through both the Idaho Steelheads Booster Clun and the Boise State Hockey Booster Club, her experience in community relations and outreach is unmatched in Boise. Throughout the interview, she will provide some background to her work as well as discuss various ways she is involved in the Boise community and why it is important to be part of something bigger than yourself.

About You

a. What is your role within the community relations field in the Boise Metropolitan area? How did you come to get that role? That’s a pretty deep question. I guess it’s fairly difficult to try to stand back from an ‘observer standpoint’ and define my ‘role’. I suppose in the simplest of terms if I see a problem in our community that needs addressing, I become determined and inspired to find creative ways to fix it. I then delve into motivating others to get on board so we collectively work to find ways to raise awareness and/or funds, or whatever else it takes to try to assist. ‘Wake up every day and meditate. Find anything at your disposal to help with the current difficulties, and find ways to make this world a better place’. That’s my motto. b. Where did you start? In Montana, where I grew up, I guess. I started when I was a teenager, or even younger. Here in Boise, I started fundraising events and awareness for the Women & Children’s Alliance about 30 years ago with an annual event called the Celebration of Women in the Arts, featuring visual and performance art, and with that event, launched the Divas of Boise, a group of nine female entertainers who still perform for charitable causes (and the WCA!) to this day. I also started Idaho Earth Fest, an annual Earth Day event, around that same time, bringing attention to conservation issues and raising funds for local conservation groups like the Idaho Conservation League, and the Wolf Recovery Fund. There’s way more I could list, like LGBTQ causes and much (so much!) more, but those are the main startups for my community service here in Boise decades ago. c. How long have you been working with the Idaho Steelheads and the Boise State Club Hockey team? I started with the Idaho Steelheads 24+ years ago. I was a co-founder of the Idaho Steelheads Booster Club and have served on the Steelheads Board ever since. I launched the Steelheads Lending Closet out of items in my house, supplying household goods to players coming into town with nothing but a gym bag. It has since grown into a huge program that supplies pretty much everything a player needs to set up housekeeping here in Boise (and thereby helps players feel at home, and helps with recruiting, etc.). I also founded the Annual Youth Hockey Scholarship, granting funds to kids in the Valley who love the sport but whose families cannot afford it. It is now renamed the Bobby Skinner Youth Hockey Scholarship, in honor of a Boise State Hockey player who was tragically killed in an accidental shooting last year. Additionally, I launched the Annual USMC’s Teddy Bear Toss for Tots, benefitting local kids at Christmas, as well as many of the annual events throughout the season where the Steelheads and fans can meet. (Too numerous to mention here). I have been the President of the Bronco Hockey Boosters for over 10 years. We started as a fledgling organization, and have since morphed into a 501-C-3 charitable, tax-deductible organization supporting a top-tier ACHA college hockey team, with a current annual budget of over $150,000.00. We serve as mentors and advisors to the Boise State Hockey Team. We support many charitable causes and continue to recruit players from across the country to take part in our winning program and to become dedicated student-athletes at Boise State University. d. How long have you been working in the sports industry and community relations in general? In community relations, pretty much, all my life, whenever the needs arose. In the sports industry, 30 years ago (or so!).

Interview Questions:

1. What are your definitions of community relations and community outreach? In terms of community relations, as long as a person is a member of a community, you should find ways to serve that community, and address and improve upon any community issues and problems that arise. I view that as our duty as human beings upon this beautiful Planet. As for community outreach: Get off your couch, and get into the game. It’s not that hard. 2. As the head of the Idaho Steelheads Booster Club and the Boise State Club Hockey Team Booster Club, what community outreach efforts do you do with each team? See above for the Steelheads. For Boise State Hockey, we raise tens of thousands each year for Metro Meals on Wheels, supplying hot daily meals to local elderly, handicapped and more; for the Wildland Firefighters Foundation, funds going to injured and fallen firefighters and their families, to Festival of Trees for St Luke’s Foundation, to Courageous Kids Climbing for handicapped and learning-disadvantaged kids, and of course to the Bobby Skinner Youth Hockey Foundation, granting funds in the name of Bobby Skinner to young hockey players who love the sport but whose families cannot afford it. And more. 3. What goes on during the community programs and events that you discussed above? I am involved in many so it is way too numerous to list. Anything from music, performance art, poetry, visual art, and more for events listed previously as well as for hockey, and all different kinds of activities. Whatever it takes to make it all happen, raise funds and awareness for the causes. 4. Knowing about your work with the booster club, what other ways are you involved with community relations and outreach in the Boise Metropolitan area? I serve as a Director on the Downtown Boise Association Board and several other boards, probably too numerous to mention. I most recently have joined the City of Good Board, serving meals to industry unemployed workers, homeless, and others during the current COVID-19 pandemic, and with FARE Idaho, a brand new coalition of Idaho business leaders who have stepped up to bring farmers, food industry suppliers, and restaurateurs together to supply meals to industry workers, homeless, and others during the current COVID pandemic. 5. Why is it important for not only sports teams to give back to the community but other organizations? Well, we are all members of the human civilization, and thereby, it’s a collective condition. If we do nothing else on this Earth, let us each do our best to coalesce around ways to help each other, negotiate with all within our realms, and thereby dispense and disperse with the problems that we face as a species. If we do not find ways to make that happen, well, as a species, we might be doomed. 6. How do the sports industry’s community relations efforts relate to other industry’s community relations efforts? What are some strengths and weaknesses of both? Sports are a rallying cry we can all get behind. The strengths lie therein. The weaknesses, I believe, have been born out by the current crisis we are facing with COVID-19. If we cannot come together at sports we cannot attend, then let’s find ways to coalesce as a collective and evolve. I believe we will find ways around and through all of that; I have Faith. 7. How can non-sports organizations learn from what sports leagues and teams do in terms of community outreach? And what could sports leagues/teams learn from non-sports organizations? Um, tough question. I don’t think there is a differentiation between the two. Having a foot in both worlds, I think both learn from each other. 8. What makes community relations such an integral part of any organization? If you do not become an integral part of the community in which you belong, you are not relevant. On any level. 9. Where do you hope to see the field of community relations in the next few years, whether within the sports industry or in other industries? Well, given our current pandemic circumstances, the sports industry may experience difficulties in the community relations realm, since they cannot hold collective sporting events soon. Regarding community relations, I’d say we had best come together on every level, or we’re pretty much f*d. (accurate quote…) But I believe in us as humans. We have faced worse, have faced our challenges, and have arisen to the occasion. We can do this. 10. To wrap up the interview, what advice do you have to people who want to work within the community relations field? I will tell everyone and all, if you see a problem, there are ways to rise up and assist. There are more ways than ever, given social media and other web-based ways of spreading needs for causes, expressing societal difficulties, and making a difference on every level. Do not hold back. Make your life matter, and make a difference every day you can. When you are sharing this life with others on Mother Earth; upon this great Planet on which we are all so blessed to reside, it is your utmost responsibility to do so. So get to it, time is a’wastin’.

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Thank you to Rocci Johnson for her participation in this interview. She was able to bring insight into community relations from the sports industry as well as other industries she has partnered with. Her experience in community outreach is unmatched in Boise and she will continue to be a community leader for years to come. Thank you, Rocci for taking the time to answer my questions.

If you would like to contact Rocci:

Rocci Johnson

“Nobody’s Johnson Rocks Harder”

Humpin’ Hannah’s

621 Main St

Boise, ID 83702