A NEW CHAPTER FOR MPCS ATHLETICS
Welcoming Director of Athletics Sam Lialios
Mount Pisgah Christian School is entering an exciting new season in athletics with the addition of Athletics Director Sam Lialios.
Sam brings nearly fifteen years of experience in education-based athletics, with coaching roles spanning middle school, high school, and collegiate programs. For the past twelve years, he has focused on building strong athletic programs within North Atlanta independent schools, with an emphasis on character development and competitive excellence.
His background in Christian education has shaped his approach to leadership, rooted in service and a commitment to helping student-athletes grow in both faith and character.
“I am honored to serve the Mount Pisgah Christian School community as Director of Athletics and to partner with coaches, families, and students in advancing a Christ-centered athletic mission.”
Sam and his wife, Camille, have called Johns Creek home for the past ten years. They have two young sons, and are looking forward to becoming part of the Pisgah community as a family.
Earlier this year, Head of School Dr. Harmon shared the significance of this hire as part of the school’s long-term vision for athletics. Sam’s leadership marks an important step forward in strengthening the student-athlete experience and building a program defined by purpose and excellence.
As Sam steps into this role, we asked him to share, in his own words, more about his perspective and priorities:
What attracted you to Mount Pisgah Christian School specifically?
Over the last 15 years, I’ve fostered a lot of relationships with coaches and faculty & staff from Mount Pisgah, both past and present. Everyone has always spoken so highly of the school and of being a part of the community. I always felt that when the time came to pursue an athletic director position, MP would be at the top of the list. With the addition of my two little boys, I felt even more driven towards Mount Pisgah for its Christ-centered, value-driven campus life, and see it is a wonderful place for me and my entire family to grow.
How would you describe the role athletics should play in a student’s overall education
High school athletics merely serve as a vehicle for developing the traits and characteristics that ultimately lead to overall success in life. It forces bouts with adversity and struggle, but through that comes opportunities for growth and triumph. I believe it’s one of the few effective ways to develop resilience, work-ethic, and accountability. Athletics also offers a platform to develop and exercise leadership characteristics, and opportunities to demonstrate humility with success.
What are some priorities you have for Pisgah athletics in the coming years?
One of my main priorities is to bring a uniform, top-down approach to our department. One that reflects my passion for serving others, and for creating an incredible athletic experience for our student-athletes. Every program should reflect the core values that revolve around being a great teammate, giving a great effort, having a positive attitude, demonstrating integrity, and competing in everything we do. With these traits as our foundation, the sky’s the limit for Mount Pisgah Athletics.
What does a strong athletic culture look like to you?
A strong athletic culture is one that people are proud to be a part of. Students are excited to represent their school in competition, coaches are jumping at the opportunity to get involved with a team, and members of the community fill the stands to support the hard work of those on the field, on the court, or in the pool. When there’s a cultural shift in how a community sees athletics, it becomes something that you don’t want to be left out of. I’ve seen the shift happen at different places that I’ve been, and it makes for such an exciting time to be on campus.
What advice would you give to students who want to play at the next level?
First and foremost, I would encourage anyone to pursue collegiate athletics if they have that opportunity. We get such a small window in our lives to compete at that level, and so often I see that opportunity get passed up on because a student may not know if it’s for them. My advice to any student-athlete that is considering playing at the next level would be two-fold – 1. Be open to where those opportunities to play come from. They may be in form of Division I, II, or III. 2. If you’re on the fence about whether to pursue a dream or not, try it for a year. Exhaust that dream, and make sure you’re at complete peace with it being over before moving on, or you may find that passion to continue playing gets rekindled.
Do you have a favorite sports memory or coaching moment that stands out?
In 2019 while at Holy Innocents’, we played Eagles Landing Christian in region play early in the season. They had won multiple state championships in a row leading up to that season and had a streak of 59 straight region wins. It was a back-and-forth game, and we ended up going into overtime tied at 35. ELCA scored in OT first but missed the extra point. We took possession from the 15-yard line and 4 plays later scored to tie it at 41. We kicked the extra point and won the game 42-41, snapping their region play win streak, and continuing what would end up being an incredible season making it to the semi-finals. When I think about that team, it was such a great group of selfless young men. Everyone did their part, and the team truly enjoyed being together. That was a special season.
What are you most excited to experience in your first year at Pisgah?
I’m most excited for my family and I to get engrained in the community and to have my boys with me on campus. My youngest will be starting at the ELC and my 3.5-year-old will be in the Murray Academy. After spending so much time away from them being down in Sandy Springs each day, I’m really looking forward to being able to see them throughout the day.