ENC Sports Review, in partnership with the Athletics Division of the City of Rocky Mount, would like to highlight some of the athletic program coaches since their season has been delayed. Today, we will highlight Wesley Men Head Coach Sam Toler. We thank Sam for taking the time to sit down with ENC Sports Review and answer these questions for us. We had fun learning more about him and we hope you will too.
How long have you been coaching and/or involved with youth sports? Include your time affiliated with Rocky Mount Little League.
I have been a little league baseball coach for 44 years, all with the Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation Department and all with the same sponsor, Wesley Men’s Bible Class. I have helped coach Middle School baseball with Edwards and lastly, Parker Middle for a 12 year period, working alongside Ivey Powell. One of my favorite coaching gigs was having a girls’ Junior Olympic volleyball team for area high school ladies for a 3 year run in the early 2000’s. We spent most of our time playing in the Raleigh area, rarely winning but loving every minute of it!
What do you enjoy most about coaching in youth sports?
Being in the company of young people. I love their energy and enthusiasm! You never know what they’ll say or do and they help keep you up to date with what’s what in today’s world.
What is one of your fondest memories coaching youth sports?
A…1982 City championship vs. Breakfast Optimist. Purely because it was the first championship I was a part of. B…1986 District championship in Garner against West Raleigh. We came from the losers bracket to beat them back to back, including an “if” game rally where we were down 2-0 with two outs in the top of the final inning and wound up taking a 5-2 win and became the first Rocky Mount City team to advance to the Tar Heel State tournament in Sanford. C….the 1999 City championship game(s). We lost back to back games against the Evening Optimist, 1-0 and 2-1. Game one saw Wesley’s Stephen Weeks throw and perfect game for 6 innings and yet we lost 1-0 in 9 innings thanks to Matt Daughtridge’s 4 hitter! David Braswell’s double in the ninth was the game winning hit for the green and white Optimists. No way to top that, right? Wrong! Game two saw us grind out six total hits and lose 2-1 in 10 innings! Chris Turner doubled in the 10th and scored the winning run on a wild pitch to end the madness! 19 innings in one day. We began at 6 PM and left the field near 11 PM. It was played at Hornbeam Park since Sunset’s field was too wet and at the time, did not have lights. Billy McDaniel from the Lion’s caught the first 18 innings and then pitched the 19th to gain the win on the hill in game 2. Trey Hymes, Tim Phelps, Darius Roberson, Phillip Moseley, Brad Jones and Justin Armstrong were some other key Wesley Men members, while E.O. had John Bryan Stilley, Chris Cone, Henry Cox and Grant Stussie, among others
What message would you like to share with your team right now?
Stay the course! The events surrounding them now (COVID-19) will pass like so many rain clouds and soon, the sun will spread its light on us all!
If you could go back and change an outcome (or coaching decision) of a game in the past 5 years, what would it be and why?
I never second guess myself. If I could go back, I would most likely make the same choice all over again.
Give us a preview of your team for the upcoming season.
We will be young, with 3 nines and 4 tens but there is enough talent to compete with any team on ourschedule. Winston Lee, Nate Cooper and Dylan Moseley are our 12 year olds and will carry us for the most part.Jaelyn McLean (11) will see time on the mound as will ten year olds Iqure Brown and the Bellamy twins, Ethan and Garrett. A name to remember is Finley Boyd, a 9 year old southpaw who will push to start from day one!
What is the first thing you and your team will do once the pandemic is over?
Hahaha……go fishing! Baseball speaking, we must re-establish our pitching priorities and settle on who plays where on defense. We are all excited just to be able to return to the field and play the game we love!!
We thank Coach Sam Toler for sitting down and talking with ENC Sports Review. It is our hope that you learned more about the person you see on the field. We can’t wait for this season to start. Catch Sam Toler’s team in action against Breakfast Optimist on Wedensday night July 22 at 7 pm at the Sports Complex. Be on the lookout for more coach spotlights, as well as game highlights and interviews.
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