Coach Melvie Price is the Founder and Head Coach of BDU Elite Foundation, a rapidly growing nonprofit organization based in Gary, Indiana. Since launching BDU Elite in 2022, Coach Mel has led the program from a small, promising youth football initiative into one of the region’s premier youth development organizations.

What began with three teams — 12U, 14U, and 15U — and approximately 40 student-athletes has expanded in just a few years to nearly 200 athletes across 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 15U, 16U, 18U, and the organization’s first-ever Girls Flag Football Team. Under his leadership, BDU Elite has evolved far beyond a football program; it is now a full-service youth foundation focused on elite athletic training, character development, mentorship, and academic support.

Before founding BDU Elite, Coach Mel built his reputation as a respected youth coach in the community. From 2020 to 2022, he served as the Head Coach for Pop Warner's Gary Cougars, where he established a culture of discipline, hard work, and high expectations—a foundation that continues to shape the BDU Elite philosophy today.

A former Division I athlete himself, Coach Mel played collegiate football at Florida A&M University and Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida. His experience competing at the highest levels of college football has equipped him with the technical knowledge, training expertise, and leadership approach that he now instills in every BDU athlete.

Coach Mel’s vision for BDU Elite is rooted in providing opportunities for youth in Northwest Indiana—especially those who traditionally lack access to elite sports programs, structured mentorship, and academic resources. His mission is to build well-rounded student-athletes who excel on the field, in the classroom, and in their communities.

Today, BDU Elite stands as one of the fastest-growing youth football organizations in the region, shaped by Coach Mel’s unwavering commitment to excellence, accessibility, and the holistic development of every athlete who wears the BDU name.