The Realities of Coaching a 1A School – Coach Connor Patten - Tintic High School

In this episode of Making the Team, Erik Soderborg sits down with Connor Patten, head basketball coach at Tintic High School, a small-town program in Eureka, Utah.

Tintic is a 1A school - the smallest classification of high schools in the state. Coach Patten opens up about what it’s really like to lead a basketball team in a community where every player matters, every season is personal, and resources are limited — but passion runs deep.

🎙 Topics include:

Coaching challenges at a small high school

How to build a strong team culture with a small roster

Balancing mentorship, leadership, and development

The emotional highs and lows of rural coaching

Why small schools still matter in the world of high school sports

If you’re a coach, player, or sports fan who believes in the power of heart over hype, this conversation will inspire and motivate you.

👍 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more interviews from Making the Team – where we highlight athletes and coaches shaping the game from the ground up.

Be sure to follow Coach Patten's journey on his Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/coach.patten/

Follow Tintic basketball here: https://www.instagram.com/thsbbasketball/

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⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

0:00 Intro Teaser

0:20 1A Realities

2:38 What Tryouts Are Like

3:59 Player Development

5:47 Youth Development Pre High School

8:30 Hopes and Dreams of 1A Players

11:01 Picking a Staff

14:15 Travel & Rivalries in 1A

16:43 Swag and Fundraising

18:43 Rural Economic Drivers

22:44 Building a Culture of Winning Now

26:25 Scouting Other Teams

30:23 Connor's Coaching Journey

37:18 Coaches and their Spouses

38:43 This Upcoming Year

43:20 Coaching Hard is Caring

45:33 Entertainment in a Small Town

48:36 School Boundaries

49:35 Multi-Sport Athletes

52:12 Connor Outside Basketball

53:08 Message For Players and Parents

58:08 No Quit Mentality

#basketball #podcast #basketballpodcast #makingtheteam #smalltownsports