Friends University

Sam Lloyd-Perks is entering his second season as head coach of the Friends University men's and women's cross country programs and an assistant coach for the track & field teams.

Lloyd-Perks' tutelage made an immediate impact with both programs, highlighted by Logan Horning capturing the KCAC individual championship and earning the USTFCCCA South Central Region Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year nod along with All-American honors.

He also coached three NAIA national qualifiers overall Logan Horning (XC & 3000m Indoor), Caroline Giles (XC, Mile Indoor, 3000m Steeplechase Outdoor) Josiah Bolton (XC & 3000m Steeplechase Outdoor).

Before arriving to Friends, Lloyd-Perks amassed over 13 years of distance running experience as both an athlete and coach.

In 2021, Lloyd-Perks founded his own coaching business, 'Team Homestretch', with the focus on building a positive online running community and helping develop runners to achieve their goals within the sport. During this period, Lloyd-Perks has coached runners to a total of seven All-American honors and numerous state records. He has also coached six runners to Boston Marathon qualifying times and numerous age-group wins on the road and track.

From the years of 2010 to 2018, Sam competed in 16 national championships on the track, road and cross country in his home country of Great Britain.

Collegiately, Lloyd-Perks started at Worcester Sixth Form College where he was a member of two national runner-up teams at the British junior college cross country championships. This included leading the team with an individual 4th place in 2015.

Lloyd-Perks then spent three years at Cardiff Metropolitan University under the guidance of British Milers Club Coach of the Year James Thie. In those three seasons, he competed in two national cross country championships, highlighted by his team placing 8th in the nation during in his senior year in 2018. He also competed in the British University national 10,000m championships on the track, helping the team clinch a 3rd place finish while setting a PR on the way.

In 2018, Lloyd-Perks made the move across the pond to compete at the NCAA D-II level for Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. Lloyd-Perks achieved All-SAC Conference honors in Cross Country two consecutive seasons with a 19th place finish in 2018 and an 8th place showing in 2019. He also still holds the 2nd fastest 10,000m in school history with his 32:13 from 2019.

Lloyd-Perks graduated from Worcester Sixth Form College in 2015 with a Diploma in Sport & Exercise Science and a level 2 Fitness Instructor Certification. He then continued to Cardiff Metropolitan University and graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sport & Social Science.
In 2020, Lloyd-Perks completed his two years at Lincoln Memorial University by graduating with a Master of Business Administration Degree.