KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (BVM) — He grew up on a tobacco farm in Tennessee, but you won’t find Kent Johnson cutting tobacco stalks now — he has a calling that has led him to some unexpected places.

The Blount County native is a 50-something husband and father of two — 24-year-old Storm and 19-year-old Dalton, aka “Baby Bull.”

Though Johnson would not play a lot of youth sports, he would eventually join when he entered middle school. In middle school he started playing football. In high school he played football, wrestled and ran track.

“My parents hated sports, so of course I loved sports,” Johnson said. “Growing up on a farm was a lot of hard work and it taught me a lot, but I’ve always loved to compete.”

In college at Tennessee Tech University, where he graduated with dual concentrations in history and English, he got into martial arts and did that competitively. His martial arts competitions continued for the next 25-30 years.

“I like competitions the way alcoholics like to drink,” Johnson said. “I found through competition I could get rid of that energy I had, and it gave me a way to be the best I could I be. That’s something that hasn’t changed.”

Life hasn’t always been set in stone for Johnson, with a job change giving him a new and unexpected opportunity.

“About 20 years ago, the company I was working for was going to transfer me to Buffalo,” Johnson said. “I said I wasn’t going. I saw a job opening at a kid’s center run by the city of Knoxville. I thought, ‘I’ll work there for six months and help the kids out.’ I ended up staying there for 12 years. At the center, I averaged 80 kids a day. I told them ‘you are only limited by your own imagination and your work ethic.’ I hammered that into them. They were watching me, so I had to lead by example.”

Always the competitor, Johnson found a new way to compete against others.

“About a year ago when I was 50, I did a physique contest,” Johnson said. “I got out there in my swimsuit in front of everybody at the National Physique Committee Knoxville Championship. I trained for about three months for it. … If you’ve never stood in your swimsuit in front of an assembly hall full of people, especially with a bunch of 20-year-olds in super-good shape right beside you, you better have some self-confidence.”

Soon Johnson added powerlifting to his workout routine. After a little while, Johnson also convinced others to join him in his newfound competition.

“I told a bunch of guys I work out with that we ought to get a team together,” Johnson said. “We’re Team Iron Age. We compete together and have a great time. They are amazing guys. My teammates are almost superhumans and it’s very rare to have that many alpha males together that all get along so well.”

In the last year, Johnson won over 10 state championships, five national titles and two world titles in powerlifting in three different federations.

“In powerlifting all you have to do is perform,” Johnson said. “It’s a lot of fun and is usually a very positive and encouraging atmosphere. For now, I’ll probably focus on powerlifting and my team. … The good thing about powerlifting, though, is my sons like to do it with me and we’re all going to compete in a year. I want to move up into the next weight division because I’m tired of not eating enough.”

Johnson’s goal is to always improve no matter what. He wants to become the best person he can be regardless of the situation.

“I try to live my life a certain way,” Johnson said. “I want to be better today than I was yesterday, give great effort in everything I do — God first, family second and compete like a savage at everything.”

Though he always works to be better the next day, Johnson is equally excited about the opportunities each new day brings someone and wants people to view the world in a similar way.

“Tomorrow could be the greatest day of your life, if you are optimistic enough to be looking for it, wise enough to recognize it and courageous enough to seize the opportunity,” Johnson said. “Yesterday is dead and gone. The ink is dry on that chapter of your life. Time is your only finite asset. Don’t regret not using your time to the fullest.”