Hunter Price

When I was hired to coach varsity basketball at just 26 years old I thought I was God's gift to basketball. You couldn't tell me anything. I knew it all. Well, heading into Christmas break in my first season I was 0-9. And I realized quickly how little I knew. My players were getting suspended. My offense was messy. My emotions were all over the place. I dreaded people asking me how it was going. Quite frankly my team was awful and I had no control. I quickly felt like maybe coaching wasn't my thing. After I got done throwing a pitty party for myself, I hit the reset button. I started asking others for help. I read more books. I hired assistants. Every week I'd text or call another coach and pick his or her brain. Turns out, you're much better off with others in your corner than standing alone with your chest out. Shocking. I know. But as coaches it's what we default to. "My stuff is the best." "I don't need to adjust." "I don't have time to read." "It's the kids not my system." So when I finally won, the emotion that overtook me was gratitude. I was thankful for every person that poured into me when I didn't deserve it. I was thankful to God for giving me a platform that I didn't think would ever happen. I found myself extra grateful for every little thing that I had disregarded beforehand. My advice to young coaches entering the field...Acknowledge that you don't have all the answers and that you need help. Find a good staff. Ask for a mentor. Read. Watch extra film. Success starts with humility.

Hurt my shoulder sophomore year of hs. Had the same injury as Brad Davidson. With no idea what to do, I emailed Greg Gard and asked how Brad handled it. Surprisingly he gave my info to the trainer who gave me a lot of advice. Greg Truly seems like a great guy, Hope UW keeps him.

@CoachHPrice I would have hated this and read a book instead.

Teachers, this is important. Regardless of what your administration says, put the March Madness games on today. They are core memories for kids. I can still remember exactly where I sat for certain games. If you get in trouble it’s ok. They won’t fire you 😂

@BDonaldson5 That’s brutal. Sounds like you need to force them to watch.

@CoachHPrice I’ve had 1 kid express interest in March madness from 6-8th grade. What has happened to the game that I love?

@Classic_Engine That’s wild. But that’s also the thing about teaching. Some schools are hurting so bad for teachers that there will always be jobs.

@CoachHPrice This was actually the last straw for one of the middle school teachers in our district. Kid you not. He was a good friend of mine, but he was young and stumbled out of the gate, couldn’t act maturely, pissed off the wrong people, same old story. He’s a teacher somewhere else now.

@SeanMcKinn0513 Good luck with the mass teacher shortage

@CoachHPrice Admin’s response to not firing you.

@DDS_MINN Have them read the team names and stats while they play 😁

@CoachHPrice High schoolers are reading at a 3rd grade level and you want them watching meaningless basketball games in school?

@Pierogi_Police 👎🏻👎🏻

@CoachHPrice In the classroom? I disagree. In the lunch room, commons area, etc. is fine. Teachers shouldn’t just not teach and put on a basketball game though.

@_CoachMitchell 😂😂😂 teacher shortage. They can’t afford to let you go 🤣

This is so hilarious lol they’ll def send you a memo for your file don’t ask how I know

@BeOurGuestMike Same for the kids!

Did this for 17 years as a sixth grade teacher. Some of the best memories of my teaching career!

@TylerEnright85 Let’s go! Coach Enright is a man of the people. 🫱🏻‍🫲🏼

@CoachHPrice Had the theme song on a loop as everyone walked in this morning. Tape bracket is occupying the chalkboard, every kid has a team. We are not playing around over here.

The middle school coach is dreaming about being on the high school staff The freshman coach is dreaming about being on the varsity bench. The varsity assistants are dreaming about being the varsity head coach. The varsity head coach is dreaming about being on a college staff. The college assistants are dreaming about being the college head coach. Moral of the story. The job you’re discontent with is someone else’s dream. The best advice I ever received: “Be where your feet are.” It completely changed my mentality. Don’t waste moments. Don’t wish away your process. Don’t take the job you do have for granted. Keep grinding, Coach!

@ShehanCoach Man this is great perspective. A coach asked me just yesterday if it’s possible for a coach to go back down a level mentally. I think you just answered it.

@CoachHPrice I got to say, I’ve been a Varsity Baseball coach for 15 years. This is year I’ve been an Asst. JH Baseball coach, and I have had more fun! Every level has its perks and its stress, but it has to be about the players and the game. Everything else is just noise.

My favorite coaching accounts to follow on socials. @PhilBeckner - NBA and CBB trainer who’s turned to coaching coaches. He gives the nitty gritty details of climbing the coaching ladder. @CoachHackGO - Best basketball play distributor in the business. @gregolsen88 - NFL analyst who specializes in youth sports conversations. His podcast is fantastic.

@CoachJMays Thank you Jason 🙏🏻

Required reading for Coaches of faith.

@Coach_GTXC A blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut 😂

@CoachHPrice You keep dropping banger posts on here, Hunter! Cutting to the core of who we are! Love to see it

That has seemed to be a common thread on here. One of the reasons I stepped down from teaching and coaching was because I lost the passion for teaching. I couldn’t give the kids what they needed, even though I loved coaching. But now I’ve found other avenues to tap into to that love so it all worked out.

100%. Wanted to be a coach first so I asked what should I teach. It was either HS math or elementary education. I grew up in the Twin Cities and did not know of any elementary teachers who coached so I chose math. Now a HS Principal. BTW: a great coach = a great teacher.👇

@SharpFootball Hafley definitely deserves a hall pass this season

Dolphins current starting WRs: 5'8" Malik Washington 5'9" Tutu Atwell 6'1" Jalen Tolbert

@coachklee It would cause a mass teacher shortage.

Serious question, what percentage of teachers & especially male teachers would never have entered the teaching profession if it wasn’t for coaching?!? Even my guidance counselor was insistent that I pursue an engineering or computer science degree.