Sam Matson is a local educator, athlete, and musician with over 20 years of experience working with the community’s youth as an English teacher and coach of soccer and quiz bowl. Sam is a longtime Cookeville resident, having moved here before starting 9th grade at Cookeville High School in the summer of 1998. In high school, Sam graduated in the top 10% of the graduating class of 2002, and they were a member of the Varsity Soccer, Swim, and Academic Teams.

Beyond high school, Sam earned three degrees from Tennessee Tech (B.S. History, 2006; B.A. Spanish, 2010; and M.A. English, 2013). Sam taught English 1010 and 1020 at Tennessee Tech in the 2013-2014 school year before moving to Upperman High School to teach 9th and 10th grade English for the 2014-2015 school year. Sam then transferred to Cookeville High School for the 2015-2016 school year and has been there ever since. At CHS, Sam has taught 9th and 12th grade English, various classes in Dual Enrollment, and two IB classes: IB English and
Theory of Knowledge.

Beyond teaching, Sam has spent 19 years as coach of the Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity Soccer teams (head coach of both teams, 2008-2018; Boys’ head coach, 2021; assistant coach in various capacities, 2005-2008, 2022-2025), and the teams had eight TSSAA state tournament appearances during Sam’s tenure as head coach. Sam has been voted as District and Region Coach of the Year multiple times. Sam has also spent 10 years coaching the CHS Academic
Team, coaching the team to national tournament appearances in 2023 and 2024. Sam also has sponsored various clubs at CHS, including Film Club, Karaoke Club, and Gay-Straight Alliance.

Sam is an avid reader, and some favorite books include Thomas Pynchon’s The Crying of Lot 49, David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest, and Roberto Bolaño’s 2666. Sam is also a runner, having completed three marathons, and they have played guitar in a handful of local bands over the last 25 years.

Sam’s priorities as a candidate for Cookeville City Council include affordability, efficiency and options in infrastructure and transportation, further development of the central business district, a prohibition of data centers in Cookeville and the surrounding areas, preservation of green spaces, and transparency. Most importantly, Sam recognizes the diverse populace of Cookeville and stands for all residents of Cookeville regardless of faith, skin color, ability, status as voter, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

While acknowledging that the previous statement is signaling virtue, Sam hopes to earn your vote on policy, not pathos.