The fifth head coach in the 98-year history of Point Loma High School’s football program has been appointed.

Ryan Price’s hiring was announced on Jan. 18 in a letter to the community by PLHS Principal David Jaffe. Price was most recently the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at La Jolla High School.

Price will be meeting with players beginning on Jan. 22 to introduce himself, and begin to lay the groundwork to, in the words of Jaffe, “continue the development of PLHS football into a powerhouse in San Diego County.”

Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Price wrote: “(I am) honored and excited to be the next head football coach @PointLomaFB and be part of a school with such great history, tradition, and community support. I look forward to working closely with the administration, staff, students, parents, alumni, and community.”

Returning players are currently involved in off-season conditioning and weightlifting in preparation for season-opening games in August.

In making the announcement, Jaffe focused on the references received on Price’s behalf.

“(The references) consistently praise (Price’s) ability to inspire and mentor players, enforce accountability in both athletics and academics and foster strong relationships with parents and Boosters,” Jaffe wrote.

Jaffe noted the posted opening attracted “an exceptional group of candidates, underscoring our commitment to excellence in our football program.” A comprehensive panel interview process was conducted with all qualified candidates.

Price will be an off-campus coach. He is a veteran Navy operations specialist, originally from Colorado, who continues to work in Point Loma as a civilian contractor for the Navy.

Previously, Price served as head football coach at University City High School from 2015 to 2021. When appointed to that post, Price said everything would be clearly outlined under his leadership.

“There’s no learning curve with me,” Price said at the time. “We’re going to hit the ground running” and “We will have a list of expectations.”

Price replaces Joel Allen who was 22-15 during his four-year tenure. He led the Pointers to a playoff berth in 2021, a CIF championship game in 2022, and the CIF semi-finals in 2023.

The Pointers have a considerable amount of talent returning for the 2024 season with numerous juniors and some sophomores in starting roles on the 2023 team.

It is unknown which Pointer coaches, some of whom applied for this position, will return.