Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 4, 1990 TAG: 9005030332
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV9 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CHRIS BACHELDER SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Price, of the Class of 1983, was a pretty handy ball player in his day. Now he's back in an Indians' uniform as the 25-year-old rookie skipper of the baseball team.
Call it a hobby. In addition to the coaching duties, Price is the Roanoke branch manager of a Pennsylvania-based company and sells town homes for a Blacksburg real estate office on the side. He also is involved with the youth group at his church.
Price says he just sort of stumbled into the Blacksburg job.
"I heard in the fall that they didn't have a coach," he said. "I talked to Mr. [Dave] Surface, the athletic director, and he said, `We'd like to have you, since you know the program and you like to work with kids.'
"I wasn't really looking for it. It's something to pick up the slack while I'm still young and I don't have any major responsibilities or obligations. It's great to get back into baseball."
But just because Price, a 1988 graduate of Virginia Tech in sports management, has a busy schedule, don't think he isn't committed to his coaching duties.
He takes his role as a teacher and a figure of influence very seriously.
"I realize the coach has an influence on these kids, and I am careful of what I do and say," he said.
"High school athletics has become too cutthroat. There is too much emphasis on winning.
"I love the game of baseball. It's a mental game, a physical game, and it takes a well-rounded athlete. But when coaches try to pressure the kids and drill them, drill them, it takes all the fun out of it.
"They're only kids. Someday they are going to have to get a job and work. They should have some fun now.
"I'm not a win-at-all-costs coach. I mean, I never go out there to lose. I'm a competitor, but I have a priority system. We've got to keep it in perspective. Winning doesn't have much to do with anything. There's so many other things out there.
"I stress team unity and playing with certain long-forgotten principles. I want to have a classy ball club with character. You just don't see enough of that anymore."
Price, whose roller-coaster Indians started the week 3-3 in the New River District and 5-5 overall, says his philosophy has gone over well with the team.
However, because of his age and inexperience, a few problems have surfaced.
"It's been hard to get the respect of the players," he said. "I've known a lot of the players for a long time, and so I also know a lot of their parents. It's almost like I'm one of the guys. It's hard for them to accept my knowledge of the game.
"It would maybe be a little easier if I went somewhere new, where I didn't know anybody, and they didn't know me. It's hard for some of the players to differentiate between good ol' buddy Steve and Coach Price.
"I don't cater to the super athletes, and I've got them. I've had some starters sit out because of things they did that weren't very nice. But overall, I've been very pleased. The guys work hard and listen to me at the right times."
Now that the NRD tournament approaches, Price has to try to get his team to quit shooting itself in its collective foot.
"Defense has killed us," he said. "It's usually in the fifth inning. You get an error or two, then a walk, then a hit, and it's a big inning before you know it.
"We hit the ball better than any team I've seen, but we've got to get better defensively. We have outstanding athletes with great talent. We make spectacular plays at times, but the fundamentals are more important. We're not reasoning things out."
Price, who played college ball one semester at East Tennessee State and one semester at Tech, is unsure about his coaching future.
He loves being back on the diamond, but the job is demanding. "Between doing stats, calling the newspaper, getting the ice, getting the trainer and arranging the bus, it makes it tough to coach a game and handle the athletes."
But what is certain is that Coach Price, as long as he's at the helm, will do things his way - building character and building good ball players.
In other words, he'll do things right.
by CNB