A local football coach was recognized last week for his efforts to develop youth sports in Okotoks.
John Price, coach for the Okotoks Eagles and the Foothills Composite High School Falcons, was inducted into the Okotoks Hall of Fame for making a difference in community sports.
“A lot of people on that wall do great things in this community, and it’s an honour to be involved in that,” said Price. “It’s exciting. It’s exciting for sports in Okotoks and the surrounding area to have this recognition.
“We’ve got a great community of young athletes and people come to our community in Okotoks because of the sports.”
He said it’s great for the Town of Okotoks to recognize the important role sports play in the development of a community, and how much influence sport can have on its youth.
Price, who was a former University of Calgary and University of Alberta football player, was instrumental in the development of the Okotoks Eagles football program, originally started in the late 90s by Ray Watrin.
He has coached at various levels from Peewee to Bantam, and was named Bantam Football Coach of the Year by Football Alberta in 2014 – the same year his Bantam Eagles won the Tier I Calgary Bantam Football Association championship.
He has also coached the Calgary Bantam Selects, been the offensive co-ordinator for the Foothills Falcons for their back-to-back provincial championships, and coached Team Alberta U16 and U18 teams nationally and internationally.
He’s been with the Eagles for nearly 10 years, starting with young children, then coaching three years at the Peewee level and three years in Bantam before moving onto high school.
“Next year I’ll probably go back to the minor program,” said Price. “High school is a very well-established program but there’s a need for experienced coaches at the minor levels, because that’s the grassroots of sport.”
He said coaching younger players requires more patience as they develop their skills and attention span, and that’s where he truly enjoys coaching.
It’s rewarding to coach kids who are just learning about football and growing into their changing bodies, he said.
“You see those kids four or five years later, and they’re different people,” said Price. “When I coach kids for eight or nine years, to see how they grow and develop is pretty exciting.”
He said the nomination to the Hall of Fame came as a huge surprise and honour.
“I never asked for it, never wanted it,” said Price. “It’s not something I work at, it’s something I do outside of my work – it’s just what I enjoy.
“To coach a youth sport you’re not doing it for you, you’re doing it for them, because if you do it for you, you won’t be coaching for very long.”
Price was nominated by Jason Osberg, his friend of 35 years.
Osberg said he’s watched as his lifelong friend became more and more involved in sports and coaching, dedicating hundreds of hours to coaching Okotoks youth.
“I thought about the amount of impact he’s had on football in the community, just in Okotoks, and I thought he was really deserving of the sports award,” said Osberg.
He said boys who have been played under Price can’t say enough about what a great coach he is, both on and off the field.
It’s not just about the game. Price develops his players as both athletes and as upstanding citizens, said Osberg.
“It’s been really impressive to see my friend take on this incredible role of really helping these boys to become men, good men, who are good husbands and good fathers because he mentored them and taught them respect,” said Osberg.
He said players on his team are reined in pretty quickly if they step out of line, and there’s no special treatment for good athletes on Price’s watch.
“He wouldn’t sacrifice integrity for the game,” said Osberg. “John believes it goes hand-in-hand, being a good person and a good athlete, and that you can coach both, and that’s what he does.”
Kelly Bennett, treasurer of the Greater Okotoks Football Association, said Price has been an amazing football coach through his years with the club.
“I’ve been involved with the Eagles since 2000, and he’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever seen,” said Bennett. “It’s not just his coaching, it’s the way he mentors kids. He has the innate ability to really figure out what motivates them and get them to perform at a higher level than they would.
“He’s one of the most winning coaches and able to get the most out of the kids.”
