BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford track and field program has hired legendary high school coach Tom Esslinger as an assistant coach, head coach Rod Tiffin announced today.
 
"When you are able to get a coach of Tom's background and experience you better grab them up," Tiffin said. "So, when our position became available it was a huge gain for our staff and program to add coach Esslinger. His addition will pay huge dividends for our program. I am excited to watch him lead our young people to new heights this season."
 
Esslinger, who will coach Samford's multis and jumps, brings 20 years of coaching experience to Samford, including being named the 2017 National Coach of the Year at Homewood High School. He has led programs to 33 state titles as a program director, including 22 titles as a head coach, all at a school that had never won a state championship before. He has coached two national champions, four All-Americans, 137 individual state champions and 73 that went on to become college student-athletes.
 
Esslinger comes to Samford from Hewitt-Trussville High School where he served as the head track and field coach since June of 2020.  He led the program to the 2021 boys and girls indoor state championships. He also coached one individual national champion and one All-American at Hewitt-Trussville.
 
He served as the head track and field coach and program director for cross country at Homewood High School from June of 2005 to May of 2020. Between the indoor and outdoor track and field, and cross-country programs, the Patriots won a combined 31 team state titles during Esslinger's time with the program. Individually at Homewood, he mentored one national champion, three All-Americans, 120 individual state champions and 51 collegiate student-athletes. He also served as an assistant boys basketball coach at Homewood from June of 2008 to May of 2011.
 
From May to October of 2014, Esslinger was the U.S. Navy Track and Field Coach for Adaptive Sports and the Wounded Warrior Project. His athletes picked up 14 medals at the Wounded Warrior Project and he led training camps in Norfolk, Va., Port Hueneme, Calif. and Portland, Ore. Esslinger started his coaching career as an assistant track and field coach at Mountain Brook High School from January of 2004 to May of 2005.
 
Esslinger's father, John, was also a long-time teacher and coach, and he coached both Esslinger and Tiffin in high school. Esslinger's mother, Betty, was also a teacher of Tiffin's, and Esslinger and Tiffin are both members of the Jackson County Sports Hall of Fame.
 
Esslinger earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of South Alabama in 2002. He then picked up a Master of Arts degree in education from UAB in 2005.  
 
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