Andy Hadfield

The Coach Who Never Planned to Coach

Andy Hadfield's coaching journey began almost by accident. A friend — the head basketball coach at Lehi — asked if Andy would casually help out. What he thought would be 'popping in once or twice a week' turned into leading the sophomore basketball team. When that coach retired after one year, Andy thought his brief coaching chapter was over. Football players on his team introduced him to Coach Larson, who invited Andy onto the football staff after learning he'd played college ball. Andy said yes. He ended up coaching both basketball and football simultaneously for six years before committing fully to football — and eventually inheriting the head coaching role when Coach Larson retired.

While teaching at Lakeridge, Lynn's mentor teacher, Ralph Jams, challenged his plan to enter school administration. Ralph asked him to observe administrators and then suggested Lynn join a new school counseling cohort at BYU. This intervention shifted Lynn’s path from discipline and management to deep, long-term student connection, resulting in a 34-year career as a counselor.

After struggling with the 'brutal lifestyle' of cold calling, Cameron was introduced to door-to-door real estate by his mentor, Dwayne Richens. He spent four months consistently knocking on doors with little to show for it until the business suddenly 'blew up.' In a single month, he put 10 homes under contract, supercharging his business and building a lasting reputation that eliminated the need for future prospecting.

Having mastered the art of door-to-door real estate, Cameron realized he could help others who were struggling. He began helping agents in his brokerage and eventually launched a formal 'real D2D' coaching program and podcast. This move was driven by his observation that the shifting market requires agents to do what others are 'unwilling to do'—specifically door knocking—to survive high interest rates and rising prices.

Boo Maddox describes growing up in the very building where he now works as a top realtor. From the age of eight or nine, he was running around the halls, interacting with 'the OGs' of the local real estate community who were getting their licenses and starting their careers. To him, these industry giants weren't just professionals; they were 'cool big brothers.' This immersion meant that real estate wasn't just a career path but a childhood environment, though his father made a conscious effort to give him a choice in his future rather than forcing him into the family legacy.

After serving a two-year mission in Honduras, Tony Acosta was planning to attend BYU Idaho to become a personal trainer. By pure chance, he and his parents ran into a successful real estate broker at a burger joint. The broker was looking for a showing agent to help with his overwhelming workload. After some discussion and parental consultation, Tony decided to forego the traditional college experience to enter the real estate industry in 2012.

As a principal broker, Tony recalls the emotional impact of helping a new agent reach her first $10,000 month. The agent had never earned more than $3,000 in a month previously. Tony highlights the excitement and the shift in her life's possibilities as she realized her own potential through consistent coaching and hard work.

Tony attributes his success to his mentor, Daniel, who allowed him to be a showing agent for five years. While many new agents want to go solo immediately to keep all the commission, Tony recognized the value of volume. By showing hundreds of homes for Daniel's clients, Tony gained more experience in four years than an independent agent might get in a decade.

While working a fire in South Lehi, Rick was approached by a man in his thirties who recognized the 'Howard' name on Rick's helmet. The man revealed that Rick's wife, Susan, had been his third-grade teacher and credited her with 'saving his life' by teaching him to read. This encounter highlights the long-term, often unseen impact of public servants and teachers in a close-knit community.

Upon graduating from BYU, Becky was hired at her alma mater, Lehi High School, to replace her own favorite teacher, Kim Jorgensson. She vividly remembers the 'scariest day' of her life: walking into the faculty room and seeing her former teachers—Lloyd Jacobson, Kent Day, and Mr. Pierce. The moment shifted from terror to belonging when they told her, 'Come on in. You're on our side. You're one of us now.'

While attending college at Utah State, Nathan was at a crossroads between farming and teaching. His former teacher, Doug Webb, pulled him aside and suggested he combine his two worlds. This 'nudge' led Nathan to change his major to Agricultural Education. Webb didn't just teach; he mentored Nathan by taking him to state conventions and leadership events, opening his eyes to the broader potential of the FFA (Future Farmers of America) beyond just raising livestock.

John tells the story of a particularly challenging student who was obsessed with Pixar. Before the school year began, John stripped his classroom of its previous decor and used his own children's toys and posters to create a Pixar-themed sanctuary. When the student first walked into the school, he called it a 'piece of crap,' but when he entered John's room, he said, 'I'll be back from time to time.' This connection led to two successful years of schooling, as the child finally felt 'seen' and understood in a way the rest of the world hadn't provided.

Kate discusses how her involvement in the Miss Lehi program was a family affair. Her parents ran a vocal and piano studio, and her father, a writer for the Lehi Free Press, would mentor contestants on their resumes and interview skills in their living room. Her mother was also a former director, creating a legacy of civic mentorship that Kate now carries as the current director.

When Buddy first moved to Lehi, he attended a local church service where he witnessed men speaking with tears in their eyes about their agricultural teachers, Byron Memmott and Klay Christensen. They weren't just talking about farming; they were talking about how these mentors had fundamentally changed the trajectories of their lives and the lives of their children.

Jay recounts his pursuit of drum teacher Jerry Janeiro. Jay asked Janeiro for lessons multiple times, only to be rejected repeatedly. Finally, after the fourth or fifth attempt, Janeiro agreed, realizing Jay truly wanted to learn. This led to an intensive mentorship where Jay would pay $5 for lessons that lasted three and a half hours. Janeiro would go through a dozen books and then play records for Jay to analyze, providing the foundational training that allowed Jay to succeed in world-class showrooms.

Aspen Kahoush explains her initiative, 'Beyond a Bandage,' which focuses on first aid education. Coming from a healthcare family and aspiring to be a pediatric nurse, Aspen used the Miss Lehi competition as a vehicle to gain certifications and collaborate with first responders. Her goal is to make first aid approachable and less intimidating for the general public, bridging the gap between professional emergency services and everyday citizen readiness.

In a brief but powerful moment, Heather mentions that several of the center’s current paid teachers were once students in the program as children. They transitioned from being the ones helped to becoming volunteers in their teen years, and eventually, after gaining skills and maturity, they were hired as staff members. This internal pipeline creates a unique teaching staff that possesses deep empathy for the students they serve because they have quite literally sat in their chairs.

At the age of 14, Jeremy Craft was taken by his father—a volunteer search and rescue member and police officer—on a medical call for a heart attack victim on Bald Mountain in Montana. During the rescue, an emergency room nurse on the scene recognized Jeremy's aptitude and told him that paramedicine was the path he should follow. This single encounter on a mountainside defined his career trajectory, leading him to move to Utah in 1993 to pursue professional paramedic training because those opportunities did not yet exist in Montana.

Andy Hadfield reflects on how he never intended to be a coach. A friend who was a counselor and basketball coach at Lehi High School asked for a 'little help,' which Hadfield assumed meant once or twice a week. Instead, he was asked to be the head sophomore basketball coach. Despite having a young child and another on the way, he and his wife decided to take the leap. This initial 'yes' led him into the world of coaching football after being recruited by Coach Larson, eventually leading to a decade-long career as an assistant before being named head coach. He notes that he didn't initially aspire to this role, but found joy in the development and successes of the youth.

Doug discusses his mentor, Russel Fel, who served as his high school principal and later his State President. When Doug eventually became the principal of Lehi High School, Fel visited him to ensure he was prepared for the role. This visit underscored the continuity of leadership in Lehi, as the former principal 'checked in' on his former student who was now occupying his old chair.