Even If CSUN Raises Price, He May Not Cash In

The name of John Price is conspicuous in its absence among candidates seeking the job of women’s volleyball coach at Cal State Northridge.

The popular 35-year-old coach of the Matador men’s team has guided the women’s program on an interim basis the past seven months. But as the deadline for applicants seeking the permanent position passes today, Price has no intention of continuing to pull double duty.

Not unless. . . . well, a guy can always dream.

Asked Thursday what it would take for him to pursue the job, Price replied: “A significant raise for me and the assistant positions, and the ability to hire whoever I want as the assistants.”

Even then, he is not positive he would be interested. Price has found a year-round obligation to volleyball somewhat strenuous.

“To do both jobs well I would need to make a complete commitment of my time, where I just did volleyball and did nothing else for a few years,” Price said. “Right now, that’s not a sacrifice I’m willing to make no matter what the money is. Maybe in a few years I’ll be saying, ‘Wow, I was crazy.’ But right now money is not what’s holding me back.”

The women’s job at Northridge, which includes teaching two classes each semester, has been advertised at a salary range of $36,468 to $70,272. When Walt Ker resigned almost a year ago at the top of the pay scale, he was believed to be the nation’s highest-paid college women’s volleyball coach.

Price makes a little more than half of what Ker was earning. Even so, he seems quite content to return to his former part-time position. Last season, Price guided the Matador men to the NCAA championship match.

“I love coaching the guys and doing my job and then doing other things I like to do,” he said. “I like my life. Money is not the issue. And we’re also assuming they would even want me.”

Athletic program officials asked Price to take over the women’s team on an interim basis last spring after a national search turned into an embarrassment. Northridge offered the job to four applicants and all declined.

Price said he took over to restore order to the program and give administrators time to regroup and organize another search. He did so despite hearing “horror stories” that women athletes were difficult to motivate. However, he is pleased to report, none of his worst fears were realized.

“The girls have been awesome as far as training and practicing and working hard,” Price said. “I just thought we’d be a lot more successful.”

Northridge, which plays Cal Poly San Luis Obispo tonight and concludes its season on Saturday against San Jose State, is 10-16.

Price admits he is frustrated that the team’s hard work during practice has not carried over to matches. Still, he believes a solid foundation has been set for future success.

Early this season, he said, “We’d lose and five minutes later it’d be, ‘So, where are we eating?’ Now, they compete better and they care a lot more about losing. When we got beat by (Cal State) Sacramento (last week), that was the quietest bus ride I’ve ever had with that group.”

Although his first--and likely last--season as a women’s coach is almost over, Price’s influence on the Matador program is not. He recently was named chairman of the search committee, which will begin interviewing applicants early next month.

Price held the same position last spring and ended up with the job, which is the only reason he has not entirely discounted the notion of remaining the women’s coach.

“We’re not ruling anything out now that they’ve put me in charge,” Price quipped. “Who knows, maybe I’ll end hiring myself again.”