Coaches put salaries in perspective

OREM — Coaching a college sports team may seem like a dream ticket to riches. With millions of dollars being thrown at football and basketball coaches around the country, it's hard not to think that.

Salaries at Utah Valley State College bring those dreams down to reality. For the most part, all of the coaches except for the men's and women's basketball coach make what an average white-collar worker would in a year.

In looking at the numbers, it's fair to say that the coaches — even the ones who are the highest-paid at UVSC — are on the lower end of what their colleagues make at other schools.

According to public records released by UVSC, men's basketball coach Dick Hunsaker leads the pack at $119,000 a year. Women's hoops coach Cathy Nixon is a distant second, making just under $70,000 per year.

Most of the other head coaches earn anywhere between $40,000 to $55,000.

Women's volleyball coach Sam Atoa is one of those who can claim a comfortable salary now. It hasn't always been the case for him, though.

After serving as an assistant for the BYU men's team for a couple of seasons, Atoa came to UVSC to lead the intramural program, teach a few physical education classes and serve as an assistant for the women's volleyball team.

The hours eventually took a toll as he was not making enough for working three jobs. "There needed to be a change," Atoa said. "It was a financial decision."

It wasn't just about the money for Atoa, adding that the time away from his family also pushed him to take a break.

Eventually Atoa was lured back to the coaching ranks at UVSC, and his efforts have paid off as he has a competitive salary after spending close to 14 years with the team.

Now the head coach, Atoa still puts in at least 10-hour days on campus. He can usually be seen at in his office at 8 a.m., thinking that it's important to be around in case any members of the team need a word with him.

For Atoa, it's well worth the work. "I teach the sport I love," he said.

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Other coaches also know what sacrifice means in order to land a head coach position.

Women's soccer coach Brent Anderson ran a soccer shop and an indoor soccer facility in Logan that helped build connections to become an assistant at Utah State.