Boys soccer: DuPage County All-Area captain Hess impresses coaches, teammates with leadership abilities
Sam Hess lifted Naperville North up while shutting opponents down during a 29-game journey that culminated in its first state title since 2018.
That included St. Laurence during Saturday’s Class 3A state championship game as the Huskies found a way to survive the Vikings in a penalty kick shootout.
‘I think being a leader, my main goal is to lift the team up throughout the year when it’s hard to have confidence, faith you’re going to win,” he said. “Saturday was a prime example. Throughout the year we’ve always preached to work everyone hard and it really came full circle because half of our starters, including me, couldn't even walk and take penalty kicks and to see my guys step up for the team and kick made my heart warm. It’s why I did my job to prepare them for that exact moment and they did it.”
Hess, who committed to Indiana in March, is the captain of the 2025 Daily Herald DuPage County All-Area boys soccer team.
“I’ve been super fortunate to coach really special kids with seven Gatorade Players of the Year and 20 all-staters and Sam stands out among all of them as one of the best, if not the best, leaders I’ve coached,” Huskies coach Jim Konrad said.
“A serious young man, he’s super focused and truly wants to be the best. He reminds me of Alex Barger. Everything he does he tries his best. It can be warming up, cooling down and everything in between, and he has a knack to get to his teammates in the right way.”
He does it in the gentlest, least mean way possible.
“He’ll get on you when you mess you up, but does it in a gentle, mean way,” senior defender Luke Bouska said. “It’s to make sure you do it right. He’s a great communicator with a strong voice and he’s very uplifting as well. Sam is an awesome human being, super serious during game time and practice. He makes sure guys are locked in. He’s like the younger coach for us.”
Naperville North (25-0-4) was the top-ranked team in the Daily Herald Top 20 from beginning to end. That’s some pressure, but Hess was always there to keep the Huskies calm and focused on the task at hand.
“I think every team needs one, and they need it most in these types of games when it’s tight,” Hess said. “When the ball’s bouncing where you don’t want it to bounce and you got a guy who is calm and can look at him and ask where to go and I’ll tell you where to go. I’m just a person who likes to calm the team down, direct them where to go and be at the right place, right time.”
Hess didn’t get to where he’s at overnight. Working out with a family friend for the past six years helped mold him into a D1 talent.
“Good soccer players need speed and endurance and you have to find your own time to exercise and work out to become a better athlete,” he said. “I work out with a family friend who is really good with young athletes in terms of strength and speed and he’s gotten me to the top with speed and endurance.”
Hess led the Huskies back to the top.
“He allowed us to play 3-2-5 because we had the guys we had in the back,” Konrad said. “I truly love him as a kid. A four-year starter who played a huge role and did special things when you consider the run we’ve had during his four-year career.”