Coach Sam graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville , where she majored in Sports Management along with a Business minor. She was part of the Lady Vols Track and Field program, where she competed with a track scholarship for four years. Samantha also received academic honors as part of the Deans list. She also attended Roswell High School where she still holds the 100 meter, 200 meter, and 4x400 meter record. Coach Sam has also coached high school track and field for the past 13 years at Brookwood, Milton, North Gwinnett High School, and Head coach at Mount PisgahChristian School, where they were numerous state and regional qualifiers . In the 2009 track season Milton High school boys were able to clinched the regional track and field championship. Also in 2015 and 2016 Mount Pisgah Girls clinched the Regional Title and the Boys Team were Runner-Up.
Samantha has ran a speed workout program over the past 13 years, which has helped athletes in achieving their goals and getting the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level with athletic scholarships. Coach Sam has had a lot of success since starting the Major Impact Program with Numerous National qualifiers and All Americans Athletes. Coach Sam is very proud of this program and hopes to continue on in guiding the kids in accomplishing their goals. Samantha is GHSA certfied, First Aid and CPR trained. Samantha is married to Willie Gary and has three kids together Dylan,Victoria and Averie.
Coach Candi began her track career as a stand-out athlete at Roswell High School in Roswell, GA. While there, she won several state championships in the 400m run, 300m hurdles,and the 1600m relay, all with record breaking performances. She currently holds the high school record in all three of these events and is still ranked in the top ten on the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) All-Time Track and Field list.She subsequently competed at ArizonaState University (ASU) as a scholarship track athlete from 1998-2002. She was the top hurdler for ASU and qualified every year for the PAC-10 Championships in the hurdles, 400m hurdles, and the 1600m relay. She also competed at the NCAA championships in both indoor and outdoor competition for three years, in which she earned All-American honors.
In 2012 she competed in the 400m hurdles in the Jamaican Olympic Trials. As a student-athlete, Coach Candi was on the Honors Dean’s list for all four-years at ASU and graduated with academic honors with a degree in Communications. After graduating from ASU, Coach Candi began coaching track and field with the boys and girls track program at Milton and Brookwood High Schools in Georgia for six years. While there, she coached numerous athletes to earn the status of regional and state qualifiers. She subsequently went on to coach the men’s and women’s track and field team at Georgia State University for two seasons where she coached numerous athletes to achieve the status of conference qualifiers and ultimately conference champions. Additionally, she coached several athletes to regional and NCAA qualifier status.For the last 13 years.
Coach Candi has assisted several athletes in receiving athletic scholarships to Division 1 programs.
Coach Candi also served as the sprints and hurdles coach for Major Impact Sports Club (“Major Impact”) in Alpharetta, GA, a business that she co-founded with her twin sister in 2002. In 2015, Major Impact had over 25 USA Track and Field National qualifiers. She is currently USA Track & Field Level I Certified and GHSA Certified in Coaching. Today, iCandiFitness is the platform from which she provides personal and group fitness counseling and training for individuals from age 5 and up. She provides nutritional counseling, personal fitness training, sports specific training, boot camps, speed and agility training, elder fitness training and coaching in track and field events.