Upton coaches recognized

Joe and Darian Samuelson moved to the Upton community 10 years ago and fell in love with the community. The Samuelsons immediately went to work for the school district, with Joe taking the helm as the Upton High School principal and men’s basketball coach and Darian working in the middle school as a science teacher while she coached men’s and women’s basketball.

Joe and Darian had both been involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes growing up, and when they joined the Upton community, they knew they wanted to bring that organization to their new home. Not only were they raising a family of their own in Upton, but they also had the responsibility of being role models to the students that they coached and taught.

The couple stands out in the community for the relationships that they are able to build with students through their positions in the school district, according to Clark Coberly, Upton School District Superintendent.

Coberly has worked with the Samuelsons since their move to Upton and said he has had the pleasure of watching them interact with students and see how they touch their lives.

One way that the Samuelsons like to connect with students is through FCA, and they were recently recognized for their efforts in a feature story in FCA’s national magazine. However, the Samuelsons aren’t involved in the organization for the glory of recognition, but for the glory of God, they say.

“We see the value in it,” Joe told the NLJ. “We all love
the Lord, and love sports. When you have those commonalities you can build great relationships.”

The Samuelsons have had the chance to touch many students’ lives through their faith. One student in particular, Sophie Louderback, explained that she was not involved in FCA in high school but the Samuelsons have been a big factor in her personal faith journey.

Louderback played for Darian during her middle school basketball career and then got the opportunity to work with her again as her high school track jumping coach. She shared how she would go to Darian, feeling lost on where to turn, and express concerns about her faith.

“She influenced me to grow it!” Louderback said.

Not only has Louderback been positively affected by the Samuelson’s care personally, she also sees their work paying off in her community.

“I see it in the Mills kids, they just play with such grace, and it really shows,” Louderback confirmed.

This is the Samuelsons main goal: to reach as many kids that they are able, and share their love of sports and the Lord with them.

“We’ve just been trying to show love the same way we were shown love, that is our mission as a family,” Joe explained.

The Samuelsons have a unique opportunity to connect with students as they work in the schools, and then are able to connect with them outside of the classroom on the court or the field. Working in the school district has given them the chance to practice and show their love for kids and invest in their growth, they said.

“We get to know all of our kids whether they are in a sport or not. We care for every single one of them,” Darian explained, “We treat them all the same; we just have different opportunities.”

Another former student athlete, Luca Brooks, told the NLJ how the couple’s dual involvement in the schools as educators and coaches has allowed them to have a lasting impact on students in the Upton community.

“They are very important in the community because not only are they coaches, but they are also teachers, so I feel like they have a huge impact on Upton and what they have accomplished there as coaches too,” Brooks said.

Brooks lived in Newcastle before moving to Upton and he said the Samuelsons were a key factor in his relocation.

“That’s why I chose to go there, because of who they were as coaches and people,” Brooks explained.

The Samuelsons reach kids from all types of backgrounds and make an effort to be a resource and helping hand in any way possible. It is not always through FCA, but that is a very important organization to them and they value sharing that with kids.

“Your sport is important, and it is a gift that God has given you, and it is another way to worship Him,” Darian explained.

The two also say they recognize the value of not only helping kids find their faith and use it in their sport but also sharing that faith with other students.

“It is the connections as well, you get to see more kids like you; that have a love for their sport, but also a love for God,” Joe said.

Upon receiving news that they had been featured in a national FCA magazine, the Samuelsons were surprised that they were being honored to that extent. Their community, however, finds them very deserving.

“In a small town especially, it is important to have those real-life positive role models,” Coberly shared, “to be the people that you want to follow.”

However, the Samuelsons see it as just another day at the office.

“We are just doing what God told us to do; this is our job,” Joe said.

To those students who are unsure whether they should get involved with FCA, the Samuelsons have a bit of advice. There are a lot of ways to get involved with the organization, they say, and they have been involved in every aspect throughout their lives and careers as well.

“Just do it,” Darian said.

“If God is tugging at their heart, it is probably a nudge to start moving,” Joe confirmed.