Meet the RTP Personnel

President of Aruka


  • Founder

    For nearly four decades Kent Johnston served as a strength and conditioning coach as well as a Director of Player Wellness at the college and professional levels. His training and Return to Play approach incorporates an understanding of individualized programs, bio-mechanics, off-season/in-season workouts, injury prevention, and novel techniques to maximize performance on the field. He also lent his expertise to assisting the development of training programs for youth. In 2005, Johnston was inducted into the Strength and Conditioning Hall of Fame. He has written several books, including; “Skillfit – A Blueprint for Building Physical Skills” and “Aruka – Rebuild and Restore Your Heath”, scheduled for release later this year. Johnston has worked with and applied his RTP protocols with a number of all- pro and NFL Hall of Fame players; as well as current players such as Christian McCaffrey, Joey Bosa, and Brian Burns. He has worked with and networks with world-class Doctors, bio-mechanists, performance specialists, medical therapists, and nutritionists.

Performance Director


  • Alan Abel has been in the athletic and strength business for over 20 years and has worked mainly in the high school setting as a sports coach and primary strength and conditioning coach. Alan has worked worked with both male and female athletes of all ages ranging from elementary to the professional level preparing them to compete at their highest level. As a result, he has worked hand in hand with physical therapists and athletic trainers ensuring his athletes are as healthy as they are athletic prior to and returning from injuries.

    Alan has a bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sports Studies from Tarleton State University and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is also a member of the National High School Strength Coaches Association where in 2021 was named the Southwest Region Strength Coach of the Year. In addition, he serves on the Texas State Advisory Committee for the NHSSCA and has also been a presenter at the Texas State Clinic.

    Alan has worked in several different settings including management of a health and wellness center, owner of an athletic performance business, strength coach in the NFL (Cleveland Browns), and coaching at public schools.

    He is a prior service member of the United States Marine Corps (Active) and is currently serving in the Texas Army National Guard. He is married to Casey, who is a business owner in early childhood development. They have 6 children - Tate, Eli, Ava, Maden, Tess and Kingston.

Our Mission Statement

Aruka’s RTP mission is 2 FOLD:

For Healthy Athletes: We assist athletes by assessing and diagnosing improper movement patterns that can potentially lead to injury.  Once identified we provide corrective drills and therapy recommendations that can reduce the risk of injury.

For Injured Athletes: We assist injured athletes obtain faster results, enhanced performance, and improved confidence as they journey toward their return to competitive events.  to assist injured athletes obtain faster recovery, smoother transitions, better results, and enhanced performance as they journey toward their return to play and competitive events.

Coach J’s Comments On the Importance of Health…

“Health is the foundation of performance. If you aren't healthy you will have a hard time performing.”

On why RETURN TO PLAY is not a well-known topic…

“Return to play is the “black hole” in the recovery aspect of injury. It is seldom approached properly because most therapists are not exposed to it in their educational process.”

On why you need a good team….

“When an athlete is hurt, he or she needs all involved parties working together. Doctors, therapists, coaches, and the athlete need to be in sync and on the same page in order for the patient to experience the fastest turn around. Our aim at Aruka is to serve as the “Gatekeeper” of the athlete’s RTP journey. We work to drive the communication links that are necessary for success. Our goal is not to create a long-term client, but return the player to the normal activity flow as soon as possible – using the safest means and best methods to accomplish that objective.”

On what separates us…

“It is really all about your network. None of us have all the answers. The Aruka RTP consultant network is the product of over 30 years of sport doctors, sports rehabilitation specialists, soft tissue therapists, biomechanics experts, nutritionists, and Coach Johnston working together on various projects and elite athletes. These individuals serve as an asset, in their particular domain of expertise, for each athlete that Coach Johnston works with. They are a phone or zoom call away if Aruka RTP personnel need their professional advice.”