By Tori De La Vega

While this past football season is over, Sam Baker a former Falcon player for the NFL, will be joining Tustin to be coaching this upcoming season for our very own Tustin Varsity Football team.  Sam Baker graduated from Tustin High and went on to play at USC where he played as an offensive linemen. Sam went on to play up until getting injured. Along with this Sam played under the coaching of our very own Coach Myron Miller. Coach Miller was heavily influential to Sam Baker and allowed him to follow his passion, no surprise that he would come back to take part in more of some tiller football action.

Sam Baker explains how his biggest motivation for returning to Tustin was due to coach Miller. Baker in a recent interview explains how, “Miller helped [him] out while I was in high school so deciding on whether or not I should come back to help him wasn’t hard ”. He briefly discussed how he hopes to, “give the players the same confidence and passion for the game that Coach Miller displayed to me”. Being a former player for Coach Miller gives him the experience and the high expectations he holds for him when he attended Tustin High. Baker also elaborates on how he doesn’t necessarily want to change anything at Tustin because it’s a great school however, he wishes to encourage players and for them to plan and do the things they love in the future. By encouraging players it’s his goal to become that motivator and person that the players lean on so that they can accomplish every goal they hope to achieve.

From various former coaches Sam Baker seems to be a well rounded player and has a great attitude on and off the field. Sam Baker being a former player here at Tustin High will definitely be an excellent addition to the upcoming football team. His “leadership is great. And his tenacity and savvy carry over to the other guys” according his former head coach Pete Carroll.  While playing in college Sam Baker faced a couple of injuries nonetheless Sam continues to motivate players to reach their potential and excel in their specific career paths.

Tustin football players are in for a exciting season with Sam Baker as a coach to push them to become the best athletes they could possibly become. Sam Baker has continued to show his passion towards football by encouraging his athletes to make sure they are giving 100 percent effort on and off the field.