Fort Valley State Welcomes Samie Parker to Wildcats Football for Internship
After dedicating 5 years to the NFL as a WR for the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, and Seattle Seahawks, Samie Parker wanted to do something new. After years of playing football, learning key skills and developing his own talent, the opportunity to share that knowledge with young athletes was a strong attraction to the NFLPA Coaching Internship Program.
Aligning with the Fort Valley State Wildcats, the University of Oregon graduate shares more about why the path of coaching is ideal for him, his experience at Fort Valley State University and learn what’s next for the dynamic former wide receiver.
What attracted you to coaching after the end of your NFL career?
“I figured I wanted to get into coaching after playing because I had a lot of knowledge and didn’t want to let it go to waste. I wanted to share it with the upcoming generations of players.”
How has that played out so far this season?
“In the beginning of the season, I was able to engage more on a 1-on-1 level with the players. Now, we spend the majority of practice time on team activities so I’ve been able to learn how to convey my knowledge in a larger setting more effectively. I’ve been given the chance to implement practice drills and put together different schemes, so it’s been pretty rewarding to see the improvements the players under my watch have made not only from last year, but from the beginning of the season as well.”
How did you find out about the NFLPA Coaching Internship?
“I actually found out about the internship as I was searching online for the Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship.”
How would you describe your coaching style?
“First, it has to be about putting in hard work. I try to tell all my guys that anything is feasible if you’re willing to put the work in. It’s not necessarily all about the stats as much as it is about the work you put in both on and off the field.
Secondly, I focus on educating the players versus telling them what do and expecting them to blindly follow. I believe it’s important for a player to understand why I am telling him to run a certain route or adjust his stance so that he can genuinely learn and improve rather than just going with the flow.”
Which aspects of coaching do you find most challenging? Most enjoyable?
“The most challenging aspect so far has been learning the best ways to communicate with the staff and players to get my points across. The most enjoyable part so far has been watching when the drills and techniques I’ve taught in practice are put to use in games and result in success. We are 5-3 and high up in the rankings in several different areas right now so things have been working pretty well.”
Why are programs like the NFLPA Coaching Internship important for former players who may want to start a career as a coach?
“I think it’s a great avenue to start your coaching career because it will help you make your mind up if this is what you really want to do. You’ll get to see and learn from both positive and negative perspectives which are both great. At times, you’ll learn things that you’ll want to carry over into your own team or coaching style and also things you’ll probably want to steer clear of. The program also puts you in a good position to learn what the college game is like for things like recruiting, game plan creation, etc.
Lastly, the program has really helped me develop my coaching style and gain confidence with implementing it.”
After this experience, what advice would you give collegiate players regarding success in the NFL?
“Well, I’ve experienced some adversity in my own life and most recently as I’ve been working to break into coaching. It’s really important to keep working at it. Stand strong in the midst of adversity remembering that the experience will only make you stronger so long as you stick it out. And as I mentioned earlier, don’t get too hung up on the stats and forget that the hard work you put in can bring you just as far.”
What have you learned or discovered about yourself during your internship?
“How to be a good listener and support for both players and coaches. And not just on the field either. These players have lives and many times issues outside of the football field. While my main responsibility might be to coach them up on the field, I’ve learned I need to be just as strong a support for them with their lives off the field as well. “
--
The NFL Players Association Coaching Internship is a partnership between the NFL Players Association and the American Football Coaches Association. The program aims to provide opportunities for former professional football players to gain coaching experience. After an application process, selected individuals serve as coaching interns at Division II, Division III, and NAIA universities for an entire football season.
Samie Parker is a former wide receiver who attended the University of Oregon before being selected to join the Kansas City Chiefs in 2004. Parker played a total of five seasons in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, and Seattle Seahawks.