In honor of all the great things that our spring coaches do for their teams, this article serves as a little get-to-know-the-coaches. Every varsity spring coach was emailed with a list of 10 questions and the option to participate by answering at least 5 of the 10 questions. The questions are listed below:
Questions
1) What got you into the sport and inspired you to coach?
2) What is your favorite sport to watch or play?
3) What is your favorite movie? Why?
4) What is your favorite food? Why?
5) What is your go-to pregame /meet meal? Why?
6) Do you have any pregame/meet superstitions? Why?
7) What is your favorite color?
8) What is your favorite memory of coaching at AMHS?
9) What is your favorite team tradition? Why?
10) Where did you go to college?
11) What is a special talent you have?
12) Fun fact about you?
13) Anything else you’d like to add?
Coach Alister and Doug Delong (Varsity women’s soccer)
Coach Alister explains that their mother grew up in Scotland with a love for the game of soccer and passed down that love to him and his brother. Coach Doug simply states that he just loved the game and wanted to be involved on the coaching side. When asked for their favorite sport to watch or play Doug gave the obvious answer of soccer while Alister elaborated on his love for watching football (specifically the Georgia Bulldogs) but how soccer is still his favorite to play as he played for two years in college. Doug’s favorite movie is Equalizer due to Denzel Washington’s spectacular role in the movie. As for Alister, well, he just enjoys whatever his daughter Arwen wants to watch. When it comes to favorite food, both brothers share a love for pizza. Alister has a go-to pregame meal of Chick-fil-A while Doug just does whatever he is feeling that day. As inseparable brothers, they share a love for the color blue, and their favorite food is pizza. Alister went to college at USC-Aiken and Doug attended Trident Technical College. When asked about their favorite memory Alister answered with the 2017 and 2018 State Championship because 2017 was his first and in 2028 they were originally down 0-1 but ended up winning 2-1. As for Doug, he cherishes the State Championship when our goalkeeper at the time Maggie Van Thullenar scored from a free kick from way out.
Coach Taylor Summers (Varsity women’s lacrosse)
Coach Taylor explains that she first came across the sport of lacrosse when she moved in Maryland in the 3rd grade and everyone there
She grew up playing club and high school and then played at for her college club team when she attended DePauw University in Greencastle, IN; now she participates in a local adults league. When asked about her favorite sport to watch, Coach Taylor responded with Hockey due to its noticeable similarities with lacrosse besides it being on ice! When it comes to a movie to get cozy with, a romantic comedy is her guilty pleasure, specifically “The Proposal”. Her favorite food is anything carby or a caffeinated drink and her favorite colors vary as she explains her appeal toward neutral tones with a pop of gold or silver. One of her favorite superstitions is that before every match Coach Taylor and Coach Caroline always get a Diet Coke as it brings them just the right type of energy and all the good luck they need to be successful. Also, during home games, the team huddles in the locker room and does an “intense chilling cheer” as it echoes and puts them in the mindset to play.
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“Everyone was handed a stick at that age and haven’t let go of one since.”
— Taylor Summers
“I can’t wait for what next season holds and look forward to coming back to be the head coach for another season. We are just getting started and have so much more potential to unlock. I’m honored to be their coach in the first place and so thankful to get this opportunity to really make a difference in their lacrosse career, they are all such determined and fierce players but also incredible and inspiring young women!” -Taylor Summers
Coach Jason Hamil (Varsity men’s soccer)
Coach Hamil started playing soccer at the age of 6 and since then has not been able to remove himself from the sport! He explains that at such a young age that is the first thing he knew he was good at, he even still has his participation trophy from his first-ever season. He played goalkeeper his entire life and won two state championships in high school, therefore inspiring him to bring that same success somewhere as a coach. Aside from soccer, Coach Hamil enjoys many other sports such as disc golf and paddleboarding as well. He enjoys watching a lot of different sports anywhere from college to pro-level football, playoff NBA, March Madness, The Masters, EPL, and The Champions League. When it comes to game time and staying lucky, Coach Hamil always keeps a little bendable camel that he found 17 years ago at Ravenal Stadium in the pocket of his chair. When asked about his favorite memory of coaching at Magnet Hamil explains that he has so many that it is hard to choose but he admits there is nothing like his first state championship. His favorite team traditions are the annual Alumni game and their first Saturday practice every year to kick start the season because it is the first time the team gets together. In the interest of quick fun facts, his favorite movie is “Accepted” because of its great ending, his favorite colors are green and black (of course), and his favorite food is chicken because there are so many different ways to cook, prepare, and season it. A fun fact about coach Hamil is that he has 5 degrees as he explains:
” I have two Bachelor’s degrees from Lander University where I played soccer. I have a MS in Education Leadership from Walden University. I have an MBA from Lander. I have a Doctorate (EdD) in Sports Management from the United States Sports Academy. I have a certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard…. and I am enrolled in a Master’s in Educational Policy at Johns Hopkins.” -Jason Hamil
