By Ken Hansard
Emmitt Price, a senior for the Pierce City Eagles, has been nominated as the Southwest Missouri VYPE poll winner. Price was named All-Southwest Conference as well as All-District in both his sophomore and junior seasons, while averaging 15 points per game 12 points per game, respectively. “I’m proud of those things because it’s rewarding to see all the hard work I’ve put in pay off.”
While the votes for a VYPE poll winner often reflect a player’s ability, just as often, they reflect a player’s likability and charisma. A common theme amongst family, friends, teachers, and coaches when it comes to Emmitt is that he is a great player, student, and person, and that he is a true joy to watch.
While already highly accomplished, Price expects even more from his final high school season, “I know my role on this team is to be a good leader for my teammates. My primary goal is for our team to win a district championship.”
Even though Price has had a successful career, things weren’t always easy, “The main challenge I’ve faced is with my ankles. I’ve had some really bad sprains the past couple of years, and I’ve missed a lot of games. Hopefully I can stay healthy this season and be successful.”
While Emmitt has worked on making his body more durable, that is not the only aspect of the game that he identified as a focus for his out-of-season efforts. Despite all his achievements, even Price has to work on the mental aspect of the game, “I’ve had to work on being more confident and consistent when shooting the ball. Our coach always tells us to shoot the ball with confidence, so I put in a lot of time working on my shot during the offseason.”
The Eagles are currently off to a 2-2 start, and Price is confident that he and his teammates can help him to cap off his final campaign with a strong finish, “I think that we are in a good spot. We definitely have things to work on, but as long as we keep our effort and attitude up, we will be just fine. Being around a strong group of friends and people you love has definitely made all of the work I have put into sports worth the effort.”
Besides basketball, Price also plays football and baseball for the Eagles. He was a First-Team All-Conference tight end this past fall. He is also active in the Pierce City school culture and is a member of the Eagles chapter of FBLA and FCA. Price is strong in the classroom, too, with a GPA which is hovering around a 3.5.
Emmitt would like to continue to play sports collegiately, given the right opportunity. Alternatively, he is also considering going to school to become a lineman.
