Olathe North High School, located near Kansas City, Kansas will always have special meaning for Sam Lucas.  After all, Sam won a state championship in football there.  In many ways, that season alone shaped who he is today.  But, after a move from Kansas to Springboro, Ohio last year, Sam has settled into his new surroundings and embraces the opportunity to help take the Panther program to greater heights than it’s ever experienced before.

     Sam was a sophomore offensive lineman on the Olathe North High School football team when they won the state championship in football.  “It’s an experience that I will never forget,” says Sam.  “It’s one of those things that taught me what it takes to be good.  I learned so much about myself and my team through that season that sometimes I wish that I could go back and relive it again.”

     Sam feels like that experience also motivates him today to reach another level here at Springboro.  “It motivates me because I want to reach the success that I had there and I want my teammates here at Springboro to know that feeling too.  Setting a goal, working as hard as you can to accomplish it and doing whatever it takes to get there is so hard, but the feeling at the end is so worth it.  I want that for my team here,” says Lucas.

     When asked about the differences between Olathe North and Springboro, Sam is quick to point out the tremendous facilities that Springboro is blessed with.  “I think that the training facilities are a lot better here and I try to make sure that I don’t take that for granted and work each day to take advantage of them,” said Lucas.

     It should be noted though that when pressed, Sam also saw some things at Olathe North that he wishes could become a reality at Springboro.  “I feel like at my old school, the football team was at times closer than it is here.  At times we worked harder and there was more of a feeling of tradition there,” Lucas said.

     Sam, the Springboro coaching staff, and hopefully the team realizes that tradition is built through achieving great success year after year.  It almost becomes an expectation.  Sam felt that at Olathe North.  “The tradition of competing at the highest level year after year puts pressure on a team to achieve what others before them have done,” said Lucas.  “The team HAS to care about that.  They HAVE to take seriously the goals that they have and understand that without hard work, they won’t achieve them.  And, failure to achieve your goals should never be an option.”

     Springboro head football coach Ryan Wilhite said that the thing that stands out most about Sam to him is his work ethic and drive to compete.  “From the first workout that Sam attended last summer with us, it was clear that he wanted to prove to us that he could play and that he was going to be a good addition to our program,” said Wilhite.  “As we got to know him and coach him and work with him, you started to see what a competitor that he really is.  He wants to win.  He puts immense pressure on himself to be successful.”

      According to Wilhite, it doesn’t end on the football field.  “I witnessed it watching Sam play basketball for our JV team.  He played with so much heart and so much attitude.  It’s not so much about how Sam approaches football or how he approaches basketball–it’s how he approaches everything that he does,” said Wilhite.

     Sam credits that competitive attitude to Olathe North.  “Losing was not accepted there.  Winning was the only way.  I see that here at Springboro too, but I want to take it to the next level,” said Lucas.

     While Sam certainly looks back fondly on his past memories and he embraces his current opportunity here at Springboro, he also has an eye toward the future.  Sam is planning on going to college to get a degree and hopes that football will be a part of that as well.  “Playing college football has been a goal of mine since I was little and it still is to this day,” said Lucas. 

     Plan on seeing Lucas on a college roster in 2 years.  It’s clear how he feels about goals that he’s set.

QUICK FACTS:

• Name:  Sam Lucas
• Nickname:  Sammy Lou
• What’s on your iPod: Rap
• Favorite Food: Pizza
• Favorite Movie: Any Given Sunday
• Favorite College Football Team:  Pitt State Gorillas
• Favorite Pro Football Team:  Cleveland Browns