Houston County has great teachers and great
coaches, and most times those individuals are one of the same. In the case of
Northside High School’s Sam Said it’s a rare double: He’s the county’s Teacher
of the Year (see Wed., July 25 of the Journal for the first story) and is the
only of his kind. “They may be able to answer that question for you at the
board [of education] office,” said Said about being the only county teacher of
the year selectee and also a full-time varsity head coach. “I’m not sure if any
other coach has won.”
Said has been teaching and coaching in Houston
County for the past 17 years, the first 11 years at Perry High School where he
coached a few head coaches of his own in John Milledge Academy head boys soccer
coach Cody Mahler and Washington County High School receivers coach Sidney
Swan, both of whom played soccer for Said at Perry High. “I’m proud of
everything they’ve accomplished,” said Said of his former players turned
coaches and teachers.
“His influence still continues because he’s still
mentoring me,” said Swan who not only had said as a soccer coach but as a math
teacher. “I call him for personal and professional advice. I literally just got
off the phone with coach [today].”
The job of a coach according to Webster’s
dictionary is ‘a person who teaches or trains an athlete’ and Said takes those
tasks very seriously. “I think teaching and coaching are one in the same,” he said.
“Being able to coach [soccer] at Northside High School where there’s such a
history and tradition of things being done effectively for so long has been one
of the highest honors and best learning experiences anyone could ever have.”
The last six seasons as the Northside Eagles soccer
coach has also being a learning experience for Said whose teams have not only
qualified for the state playoffs but have also made deep runs while doing so.
Normally he has student-athletes that have played for the football team and has
had to add a little instructor to that coach/teacher title. “Coaching soccer
here is also really rewarding because of the cross-section of our team makeup,”
says Said. “You get to work with players who have a lot of experience in the
game, and with players that are athletic and hard-working but are just
discovering soccer for the first time.”
He continued,” Getting the opportunity to put all
of that together into a competitive and high-functioning team has been one of
the biggest challenges and joys.”
One of Said’s best coaching jobs might have been
last season, where the Eagles ended ended the year winning four of their final
six games of the season and despite finishing under .500 in region 1-6A play
(1-3) they finished above .500 (10-9 on the season. “I believe coaching in
general has only made me more effective as a teacher,” said Said who teaches
Advanced Algebra and a credit recovery for seniors at Northside.
Winning teacher of the year was a surprise for Said, whose wife knew he
was selected as this year’s winner but according to Said did a great job of
keeping that fact to herself. “She had my parents and siblings come in from out
of town and I had no idea they were here until they walked across the stage
after the announcement,” admitted Said. “Winning the trophy and standing in
front of all of those great educators was a really humbling experience. It was
something that really humbles you.”
HHJ News
