Photo through RICK MAUCH
As a soccer trainer, Reginald Samples has had rather a lot of groups run over rather a lot of fighters.
Now, each he and his Duncanville Panthers can be operating over foes on a box that bears his identify. The Duncanville ISD School Board voted lately to call the sphere at Panther Stadium in Samples’ honor.
“I’ve never had anything like this named in my honor. It means the world to me to have something named after me that will remain and something that my family can look upon and remember me by,” a flattered Samples mentioned.
Not that people wouldn’t already be mindful Samples neatly. He’s merely one of the most productive highschool soccer coaches ever to roam a sideline – and no longer simply in Texas. Samples has received trainer of the 12 months awards from the native stage to around the state or even at the nationwide stage, maximum lately this previous season when he guided the Panthers to a 15-0 document.
And he capped his fabulous occupation through main the Duncanville Panthers to the Class 6A Division I state championship this previous December. Making the accomplishment even sweeter is the victory got here towards Houston North Shore, a staff that had stopped Samples and his Panthers in the finals 3 of the former 4 years.
“It was very special because it was a culmination of a goal I set for my career and myself,” Samples mentioned of the state name. “It was once additionally very particular after going thru 3 defeats in a row to North Shore. It was once sort of a thorn in my facet.
“It made everything I’ve done in my career seem worthwhile.”
Samples was once already a vastly a hit trainer sooner than coming to Duncanville. He had long runs at Dallas Lincoln and Dallas Skyline. In 15 seasons at Lincoln, beginning in 1990, he received 122 video games and took the Tigers to the 4A Division II state ultimate in 2004. In a decade at Skyline, his groups received 110 video games with 9 district titles and journeys to the state semifinals in 2011 and 2014.
Overall, his document is 326-287-1 and he’s coming near 100 wins at his 3rd college.
In 2022 Samples was once elected to the Dallas ISD Athletic Hall of Fame.
“Coming to Duncanville was the extension of my career that I needed. I felt like I was at a logjam, at a crossroads in my career,” Samples mentioned. “I’ve been able to do some things in my career that were goals of mine that I really needed resources and support to get done.”
FRUIT BEFORE GAMES
Just like the opposite honors in his occupation, this one received’t trade Samples. He’s nonetheless going to train the similar, deal with other people as absolute best he can, and proceed to devour fruit sooner than each sport.
Yes, fruit.
“It’s always been a healthy sign of health for me in my life,” he mentioned. “I’ve always tried to make fruit a part of my diet.
“Normally, the reason I eat it before every game is my nutrition is all messed up during the day, so I try to eat that last piece of fruit and make it through the game and eat after the game is over.”
Whether it’s meals or a victory, Samples has surely “enjoyed the fruits of his labor” again and again in his occupation.
DEALING WITH RANKINGS
Samples has the Panthers no longer most effective atop the state scores regularly, but in addition persistently a number of the country’s most sensible 10 highschool soccer groups. But don’t inform him that as a result of, sarcastically, he’s too busy seeking to stay his staff excellent sufficient to earn such recognize.
“Honestly, I try not to think about that. Those things will get your mind off what’s really important, which is trying to get better every day,” he mentioned. “I really appreciate the notoriety, but our goal is to repeat as state champions and the only way we can do that is to stay focused.”
HOW STAY SUCCESSFUL
If you ask Samples how his groups are incessantly a number of the easiest to be discovered anyplace, he’ll solution merely that it’s bunch of causes rolled in combination. He’ll credit the coachable youngsters, their oldsters and all the Duncanville School District, at the side of simply being one fortunate man.
“The entire Duncanville family allows me to be successful,” he mentioned. “I’m just so blessed to be a part of it.”
Something says the neighborhood feels similarly blessed – the sphere he coaches on incessantly.
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