About Coach Walter

Walter
Perkins IV

Eleven years of high school coaching, a lifelong passion for developing players, and a career that runs from a State Final Four floor to college, semi-pro and international basketball.

Known for his leadership, player development, and commitment to building strong basketball cultures.

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Coach Walter Perkins IV, pictured today and during his playing career — Then and now — Tampa Prep, Saint Leo, and the sideline.

1,000+Youths trained

10+Years experience

1,498Career points as a player

100%Client satisfaction

Why 4 The Love Of The Game exists

Across school programs, AAU basketball and showcase environments, Walter saw the same challenge repeatedly: athletes with passion and talent, but without the fundamentals, decision-making, confidence and understanding to make their skills translate.

4 The Love Of The Game was built to close that gap — combining technical instruction with basketball intelligence, competitive preparation and mentorship.

The goal is not simply to help athletes perform a move. It's to help them understand when to use it, why it works, and how it helps their team.

The result is a more complete player — skilled, prepared, coachable and confident.

Coach Walter working with players on the court

The road here

Played it. Then taught it.

2007

Tampa Preparatory School

Captain of the school's State Final Four team. First Team All-State selection in Florida Class 2A, finishing as a 1,000-point scorer with 1,498 career points.
College

Saint Leo University

Earned a scholarship and spent four years with the program, becoming a one-year starter and receiving the Excellence Award as a senior. Bachelor's in Marketing with a minor in Management, followed by an MBA.
Pro

Semi-professional & international

Competed at the semi-professional and international levels before moving into coaching and player evaluation.
2 yrs

Junior varsity coach, Tampa Prep

Returned to his high school program to begin coaching.
2 yrs

King High School

Coached junior varsity while serving as an assistant varsity coach.
7 yrs

Varsity head coach, Brandon Academy

Led the program to two district championship runner-up finishes and a 2021 regional semifinal appearance — placing the team among the top 16 programs in Florida Class 2A that season.
Now

Vice President, Brandon Bolts

Helps lead the AAU organization his father founded in 1999, while training players from elementary school through college and overseas professionals.

Players training with 4 The Love Of The Game

Experience he coaches from

Every level of the game.

Four years as a player at Saint Leo University
High-school Final Four experience at Tampa Prep
Semi-professional basketball experience
International training and playing experience
School coaching at the junior-varsity and varsity levels
AAU coaching and organizational leadership
NCAA showcase coaching and player evaluation

He has helped numerous athletes advance to the collegiate level, including NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA JV opportunities.

Beyond the court

Student first,
athlete second.

Basketball opens doors, but it doesn't stay open forever. Coach Walter holds his players to the same standard in the classroom that he does in the gym — because grades decide eligibility, eligibility decides opportunity, and the habits behind both are what carry a young athlete long after the final buzzer.

He coaches from experience. Alongside his playing and coaching career, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Marketing with a minor in Management and completed an MBA at Saint Leo University — proof to every player he trains that the work off the court counts just as much.

Grades come first

Eligibility and college opportunities start in the classroom, not the gym.
Habits that transfer

Preparation, discipline and accountability work the same way on a test as they do in a game.
A plan past playing

Mentorship that looks at the whole athlete and what comes after basketball.