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Samuel Thompson, a biomedical sciences student at New College and coach of the Oxford University Touch Rugby Club (OUTRC), has been named the 2025 Student Coach of the Year at the Oxford University Sports Awards. The award recognises student coaches for their influence on competitive success, club culture and Â鶹app impact. 

Described as a ‘leader, Â鶹app builder, champion athlete and lion-hearted human,’ Samuel’s coaching style blends relentless energy with genuine care. ‘100 miles-per-hour,’ one player remarked. Yet behind the intensity lies intentionality. As he once told his team: 

We’ve climbed the mountain and found a beach on the other side. The beach is great, but after a while, it gets boring, and you want to climb again.

Under his leadership, OUTRC enjoyed a landmark season:

• A best-ever British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) finish, national tier promotion, and a dominant Varsity win over Cambridge.
• The Oxford 2s (‘Orcas’) secured BUCS silverware and rose 10 national ranks in their first full season.
• Several players earned national squad selections, BUCS MVP honours, and six achieved new Half Blues.

But Samuel’s impact extended well beyond the pitch. He introduced international coaching models, collaborated with performance psychologists to refine player development, and brought in strategic innovations like video analysis and theory-led sessions. 

Off the pitch, he founded a run club to support mental health and team cohesion, deepened ties with Oxford City Touch, Saïd Business School, and Bath University, and led outreach efforts including the Try Sports School Championships. Most recently, he organised the 2025 Mixed Touch Rugby Cuppers, welcoming over 150 students from 12 colleges in a beginner-friendly tournament. 

These efforts produced long-term results: a 23% increase in club membership, ~85% player retention, 15% revenue growth, and the creation of a sustainable emergency fund. Players, alumni and university officials praise Samuel as a ‘360-degree leader.’

A proud New College Rugby Football Club player, he also celebrated back-to-back Cuppers titles with his college side.

Reflecting on the season, Samuel credited his teammates for shaping him: 'for believing in me'. The most meaningful part of the award, he added, wasn’t personal recognition, but sharing the moment with those who supported him. 

Samuel will return for another season, but the culture he’s cultivated, and the courage he’s inspired, will last far longer.