Sam Nimpchaimanatham | 2020 Junior Service Award | Outstanding Male Coach

Sam Nimpchaimanatham, born in Thailand and retired from the U.S. Air Force with 25 years service, began playing and coaching indoor and beach volleyball for USA Volleyball clubs and military teams three years into his military career.

Since 1990 while serving in the Air Force in Okinawa, Japan and Florida, Sam has volunteered his off-duty time to run clinics or coach local middle and high schools. He led teams to district and regional championships as well as the Florida State Final Four. Sam has earned two coach of the year honors.

Sam is active coaching USA Volleyball junior indoor and beach volleyball programs from grassroots to 18-and-under age groups. His teams have qualified for national championships numerous times.

For the past four years, Sam has trained and coached indoor and beach High Performance teams for the Gulf Coast Region. Since 2012, he has acted as the Gulf Coast Region representative and host of BCAP I and II programs. For eight years, he has been a major player in building tournament sites and serving as head court manager for AVCA Beach Championships, which has transitioned to the NCAA National Beach Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Sam has served as a coach during the week-long USA Volleyball Beach High Performance training camp as well as during the beach HP tryouts. He is USA Volleyball IMPACT certified and BCAP II certified.

As a player between 1988 and 2008, he was a member of the U.S. All-Air Force Team for 18 years and won nine golds and six silvers. He was selected to the U.S. All-Armed Forces All-Star Team seven times as either a player or coach. Sam represented the U.S. Armed Forces at the Military World Games and other international competitions around the world.