Coaches Corner is a new Regent Athletics Q & A series in which we sit down with a member of our Royals coaching staff to find more about them, their life and coaching philosophies, and what Regent University means to them. In this edition, we spoke with Royals Head Men's Soccer Coach, Samuel Okai, now in his fourth year of coaching soccer at Regent University.
 
Tell us about how yourself and how you got start in coaching. 
 I was born and raised in Nigeria, West Africa. Growing up, I tried many different sports, including basketball and cross country, but soccer was always my best. In High School, I had dreams of being a professional player but never had the speed for the game's pace at that level. My skills were better suited for coaching. During my first year in college, my coach asked me if I had ever thought about coaching, and I was curious about why he asked. He told me he thought I had the leadership skills and the ability to fix problems quickly. That was the motivation I needed, and I decided to move on from my pro dreams and focus on coaching. A few years later, in 2012, I started my first coaching job helping a local club team in Virginia.
 
What does it mean to be a Regent Royal and how have you witnessed that in your time here?
 What we stand for at Regent is representing Christ, and that is the same for athletics. We try to find a way to do that through soccer by the way we carry ourselves on and off the field and in our character. I'll never forget an experience we had while in Florida to play a game that ended up being a tough loss for us. After the game, I went up to the coach to ask if we could pray with them and if there was anything in particular, we could pray for. He was surprised we asked but said they had a big game coming up that carried a lot of expectations and it had put a lot of stress on his team. After we prayed, the opposing teams' players and coaches came up to hug us and thanked us. It was a cool moment.
 
What is unique about Regent University and our Royals Athletic program?
 What is unique about Regent is our pursuit of God in everything we do. It is a great fit for anyone looking to be a part of a community and grow spiritually. On the athletic side, the emphasis on character development is so important. I know many coaches who are under so much pressure to win that development suffers. There are many schools where athletics is there to bring glory to the school, but at Regent, athletics is here to bring glory to God.
 
 What is your overall coaching philosophy, and how has it developed since you first began?
 My coaching philosophy starts with the team over individuals. What we want to know when students-athletes come to play for us is how they fit into our vision. We want our student-athletes to know it is not all about winning the games but becoming the best person you can be for the team's good. We also base playing time on the effort our student-athletes bring every day. I know many coaches say that, but we wait to decide who will start two practices before every game to ensure we are consistent.
 
 As a coach at Regent University, you're tasked with not only developing soccer players but Christian leaders as well. How do you approach this concept and what are some of the things you do that emphasize spiritual leadership?
 Every new season I try to start with the foundations of our faith in order for our student-athletes to know more about Christ. Throughout the season, we want to move from knowing about Him to knowing Him. One of the best ways to do this is through His Word. We teach this by consistently holding devotions where we talk about simple ways to study the Bible. We will keep building on that and work our way to discipleship. Overall, we try to use soccer to teach our student-athletes about being a disciple of Christ and being righteous in their everyday lives.
 
This year has come with a unique set of challenges with Covid-19 and the cancellation of your Royals men's soccer season. How are you keeping your team prepared and motivated? 
 It was difficult in the beginning, but as time went by through our weekly devotions and team meetings, we, the coaching staff, have been able to keep the team motivated. We also encourage them not to do life alone during this difficult time; reach out when you need any kind of help.
 
 Aside from the athletic aspect, how are you approaching the impact on your student-athletes mental wellness? 
 Our team's emotional and mental health needs are an important priority for our coaching staff. Feelings, whether good or bad, are real. We encourage them to exercise as well as express themselves appropriately to God and a trusted friend.
Paul gives a great example of sharing feelings instead of stuffing them in: "My friends, I want you to know what a hard time we had in Asia. Our sufferings were so horrible and so unbearable that death seemed certain" (2 Corinthians 1:8 CEV).
We encourage them to lean on and look out for each other. God created us to need each other! He designed us to share our feelings with others. But he also wants us to share our feelings with Him: "The LORD is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope. The LORD's people may suffer a lot, but He will always bring them safely through" (Psalm 34:18-19 CEV).