Bailey named as the VDN Girl’s Soccer Head Coach of the Year

Vicksburg High School’s Samantha Bailey has been named the Vicksburg Daily News Girl’s Soccer Head Coach of the Year.

Under Bailey’s leadership, the Missy Gators went 9-5-2 along with winning a district title for the fourth consecutive year and a playoff victory for the first time since 2010.

”I think our overall season was fantastic,” Bailey said. We knew we wanted to be district champs again but the main goal was to get beyond that first and second round, but to be a quarter-finalist in the state for our region was just phenomenal.”

VHS picked up their first win of the season over Wesson in a 6-0 victory which would only be the beginning of many great things to come during the season. They also picked up big wins over McLaurin and Cleveland Central which heavily motivated them as they quickly realized that their program advanced in many ways since last year.

“Coming in this summer they came in ready to work and I knew that it was going to be a good year for them because of the way they were training, lifting and preparing,” Bailey said.

Bailey, who is in her third year as head coach, took over the team unexpectedly a few years ago and they had already won a district title the year before her arrival. Since then she has kept that tradition going by earning three titles of her own with less than five senior seniors in that time period.

Although the Missy Gators returned their full roster from the previous year, senior Jamiyah Gaines stepped up in a leadership role to make things happen for the team.

“I knew her potential on the field and she knew her potential on the field but the difference between last year and this year was that I can put her anywhere on the field,” Bailey said. The only position she didn’t play was goalie. I could put her up top, all across the middle, it didn’t matter where so for her to realize her potential was huge.”

Last year the Missy Gators had more losses than wins, but this year was completely different as they went undefeated in district play and crushed Columbus 5-0 in the second round of the playoffs to mark their first playoff win since 2010.

“The team chemistry that we started with was so much better than what we ended with last year and we didn’t have to deal with the little things because that chemistry was so strong.”

The season came to an end in a heartbreaking loss to Saltillo for the second year in a row in the third round.

“Everyone was devastated and I think it hurt a little more since it was the same team and they went on to win the championship but to make it that far was really big for my girls, especially my seniors.”

Coaching has become a passion for Bailey who has put her all into leading her girls along with assistant coach Doss.

“It’s why I get up in the morning, I spend my days in the classroom and I love that too but getting to impact these girls outside of the classroom and showing them how great they really are, that means the world to me because they’re my babies. I have four of my own but I also have them.”

This award is Bailey’s second consecutive time earning it, but with the success that the Missy Gators had under her leadership, she was the top candidate.

“I’m excited I think it means more this year than last year because knowing the work I put in alongside these girls, but most of all it means a lot for our program because a lot of times Vicksburg High gets overlooked so to have this for myself and for my girls is huge,” Bailey added.