For more than three decades, Richard “Cowboy” Peterson has embodied what it means to lead through service. A veteran of both the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army National Guard, Peterson most recently retired as a teacher and coach with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), now known as the Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA). Over a coaching career spanning more than 30 years, he has led athletes across football, basketball, baseball, softball, track, golf, soccer, wrestling, and more, from youth programs and high school teams to professional football in Germany. Along the way, he has built championship programs, earned sportsmanship honors around the world, and impacted countless young athletes through his commitment to character, accountability, and care. His coaching journey has taken him from Texas to Japan to Germany, but his mission has remained the same: to create the kind of positive, supportive experience for young athletes that he wished he had growing up. In this month’s Soldier Coach of the Month spotlight, Peterson reflects on the lessons he’s learned through military service, coaching, fatherhood, and how Soldiers to Sidelines helped him continue serving through sport.
Read about his journey in the Q&A below.
STS: What Sport(s) do/did you coach?
Coach Peterson: I have coached Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Track, Golf, and Soccer. I also served as an Athletic Director for the High school that I taught and coached at in Baumholder, Germany, as well as a liaison between the Western Japanese Athletic Association when I was coaching in Iwakuni, Japan.
STS: Which organization do/did you coach for, and at what level?
Coach Peterson: I have coached at the youth level through the Boys and Girls Club, Middle school/Jr. High level through Greenville and Quinlan Independent School Districts, Varsity sports through Greenville Christian School, (DoDEA/DoWEA) Iwakuni Japan and Baumholder Germany, and Professional Football through Saarland Hurricanes (GFL)
I started my coaching career coaching my Marine Corps’ unit Flag Football team from 1991 through 1994 while I was serving on active duty and recovering from injuries that I incurred during Desert Storm. This was for Marine Air Group 41 at NAS Dallas, Texas. During this time, the base was playing six-man flag football. This was sponsored by and through Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR). Unfortunately, the base decided it was too dangerous to allow this to continue and did away with Football after that year.
In January of 1995, I was medically discharged from the Marines. I immediately started teaching that same month in Greenville, Texas at Carver Elementary school, with a legitimate size Basketball court as well as a Baseball/Softball field and practice football field. I also began my coaching career, coaching youth football in Greenville, TX, for the Boys and Girls Club in the fall of 1995 and continued through 1997. I coached eight-man football for 5th and 6th grade teams made up of student athletes. I remember that my first team didn’t even have matching helmets or jerseys, so I went to Wal-Mart, bought some royal blue spray paint and crimson red spray paint and took all the helmets apart and repainted them to match. I also went to the Marine Corps Recruiting office and got decals to put them on. I found a case of blue mesh jerseys at a flea market that was used as a promotion for Camel Cigarettes, talked the guy into giving me the whole case for five dollars, then took them to a print shop where I made a deal for them to cover over the logo and put on red numbers. We ended up looking so sharp!
In the fall of 1997, while I was still teaching in Greenville ISD at the Greenville Intermediate School and coaching for the Boys and Girls Club, I became a volunteer coach at Greenville Christian School in Greenville, Texas. I coached defense and special teams under Head Coach Larry Uland along with Coach David Wombaker. The school played six-man tackle football in the Texas Alliance of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) league. We were able to help turn around a program that had a long history of losing and was on the verge of disbandment. Coach Uland, who had recently retired from teaching/coaching in a Texas public school himself, kickstarted the program. It was under his leadership and mentorship that I learned how to really see the students from a more personal view, and he helped to formulate my coaching philosophy of stressing the fundamentals and stewardship over the wins and losses.
In 2001, I started coaching and teaching full-time for the Greenville ISD, becoming an assistant coach at Greenville Middle School. I coached 7th and 8th grade offensive and defensive lines and headed up the special teams units. I coached the 7th and 8th grade shot putters and discus throwers for our track teams.
In 2003, I became the 7th-grade head Football coach, assisted on the 8th-grade team, and maintained the boys’ throwers on both middle school track teams while adding the responsibility of the girls’ 7th and 8th-grade track team throwers. I kept these roles until 2005.
In the fall of 2005, I transferred to a new school district in Quinlan, Texas, taking on the role of Middle School Coordinator and Head Coach of Thomas Middle School Boys’ Athletics. There, I was both the 7th and 8th-grade head football coach as well as an assistant track coach. I was also a member of the Varsity football staff working with the offensive linemen.
The very next year, in 2006, I returned to Greenville ISD as their middle school Boys’ Athletic Coordinator, taking over the Head coaching duties for Football and being assigned to support Varsity coaching.
In 2008, I followed my dream by taking a risk to go overseas and coach in Japan for the military school system. I was originally hired to teach P.E. and coach Girls Varsity Volleyball, but when I arrived, they asked me to pivot and take over a very troubled baseball team. Within two seasons, we played for the Western Japanese Athletics Association Baseball Championship. More importantly, we were awarded the sportsmanship trophy, a first in the history of the school.
While in Iwakuni, Japan, at MC Perry High School, I was able to help bring back and coach Football, Softball, as well as start and coach the High School Wrestling team. From 2008 until my transfer to Germany in 2016, I was able to be the Head coach of Baseball, Softball, Girls’ Basketball, and the Defensive and Special Teams coordinator for the Football team. We earned multiple Sportsmanship awards and recognition in Baseball, Softball, and Football along the way, as well as winning Championships in Football and Baseball.
In 2016, I transferred to Baumholder, Germany, and took the job as the high school P.E. Teacher and the Athletic Director. I held this post for three years before I gave it up to concentrate just on the coaching aspect. I also served as the Defensive Coordinator for football and Head Coach of Wrestling, winning the European Championship in 2017. I eventually became the Head Coach of Football, and we won the European Championship in 2022 while going undefeated.
I also started coaching for and with the Saarland Hurricanes of the German Football League (GFL) in 2019, working as an assistant coach on Defense, working with the Defensive line. This experience taught me a lot about coaching people from different cultures and managing language barriers, and I really enjoyed my time working with these men and women. We were fortunate enough to win the conference title and make it to the semifinals of the German Bowl before losing to the eventual champions, the Dresden Monarchs. It was the furthest that the Hurricanes had gone in the history of their franchise.
STS: How long have you been coaching?
Coach Peterson: I have coached for over thirty years in some form or another. I am presently back in college working on my master’s degree in Coaching and Administration and hope to be able to continue pursuing my passion for working with others.
STS: Tell your story about how and why you got into coaching.
Coach Peterson: When I look back on my childhood, I can see clearly why I eventually became a coach. My earliest experiences with organized sports were rough. I wasn’t asked if I wanted to play; my father simply signed up my brother and me for baseball without ever teaching us how to throw, catch, or even understand the game.
The experience only got worse. I saw favoritism, unfair treatment, and a complete lack of support for kids who weren’t the coach’s sons. The old cliché played out regarding the coaches’ sons being the pitcher and shortstop, even when their skill level didn’t justify it.
Those early experiences stuck with me. They shaped me. I knew what it felt like to be overlooked, under-coached, and unsupported. That’s why, later in life, I felt called to become the kind of coach I never had. One of the reasons I became a coach was that I did not want kids to go through that kind of introduction to organized sports.
My journey into coaching also came from a deep sense of responsibility that started early in my blended family. Being the oldest boy meant I was expected to lead, help, and guide. That sense of duty eventually led me to join the Marine Corps, and the lessons I learned there translated into my wanting to guide young people as they navigated school life and athletics. Another major influence was seeing how girls’ sports were treated. When no one was willing to coach the girls’ basketball team, I stepped down from coaching the boys and took the girls’ position instead when I first got to Iwakuni, Japan.
I didn’t get into coaching for glory or wins. I got into coaching because I wanted to create a better experience for kids, one built on fairness, teaching, and genuine care.
STS: Discuss how coaching has impacted you as a person.
Coach Peterson: Coaching has shaped me in more ways than I can count. It has made me more empathetic, more patient, and more committed to doing what’s right even when it’s not easy. One of the biggest impacts coaching has had on me is reinforcing my belief that sports are a platform for teaching values. I’ve always believed that coaching is about more than winning. I truly believe that we are supposed to be teaching values and morals through the platform of sports and not just trying to win all the time.
Coaching also made me a better father. I made it a priority to be present for my daughters, even when my coaching schedule was demanding. As soon as practice was over, I booked it to wherever they were so that they saw me and knew I was in their corner.
Being a coach helped me understand how important it is for kids to feel supported, and I carried that into my parenting. I taught my daughters the game, played with them, and made sure they never felt alone in their sports journey.
Coaching also pushed me to confront issues of gender equality, race, and social class. I made decisions that balanced fairness, empathy, and practicality.
These experiences made me more aware, more thoughtful, and more committed to doing what’s right for all athletes, not just the talented ones or the ones with resources.
Finally, coaching gave me purpose. Even now, I feel drawn to continue helping young athletes or mentoring new coaches. I love coaching and hope to get to do it again and mentor new coaches.
Coaching didn’t just change my career; it changed who I am. It helped me turn my own difficult childhood experiences into something positive, meaningful, and impactful for others.
STS: How has your military experience influenced you as a coach?
Coach Peterson: My military experience, especially being injured and navigating the long road of recovery, influences my coaching in every way. The Marine Corps taught me discipline, accountability, resilience, and the importance of doing the small things with excellence. But it also taught me something deeper: that leadership is rooted in knowing your people and caring for them. I bring that same mindset to coaching. But my injury taught me empathy, perspective, and the importance of meeting people where they are.
I coach with the understanding that every athlete carries something unseen. Some battles are physical, some emotional, some spiritual. Because I’ve lived through my own battles, I’m intentional about creating an environment where athletes feel supported, challenged, and understood. My faith reminds me that leadership is about service and that strength often shows up in vulnerability, not just toughness.
I try to model the balance of grit and grace, stay calm under pressure, be resilient in adversity, and maintain integrity in every decision. At the same time, my faith reminds me that strength isn’t just physical or tactical; it’s spiritual. I lean on the truth that to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48) — Pushing athletes to grow while also reminding them that their worth isn’t tied to performance. My military experience gave me the backbone to lead; my injury and recovery gave me the heart to lead well. Together, they guide the way I coach.
STS: How has Soldiers To Sidelines impacted your life?
Coach Peterson: Soldiers To Sidelines has been a powerful blessing in my life. It connected me with a community of veterans and military-connected coaches who share the same desire to serve through sport. STS helped me reconnect with a sense of mission and belonging. This is something every veteran feels when they transition out of uniform. Through STS, I found a community of people who understood what it means to rebuild, to adapt, and to lead with both strength and humility. STS helped refine my coaching philosophy, sharpened my technical skills, and gave me the confidence to use my experiences, including my injury and recovery, to positively impact athletes. STS reminded me that coaching is more than competition; it’s a mission. They reminded me that my story, including the difficult chapters, had value.
What I appreciate most is how STS reinforces the idea that our experiences, both in uniform and in life, can be used for good. It reminded me that God can take every chapter of our story, even the difficult ones, and use them to impact others. STS gave me confidence, mentorship, and a renewed sense of purpose. It strengthened my identity as a coach and helped me see coaching as a continuation of service.
STS: Describe a coaching interaction with a player, or group of players, that has a special place in your heart?
Coach Peterson: I think that one of the best memories must have been having the opportunity to coach both of my daughters in sports that they love. Each of those incidents came about by God’s divine intervention. The first was when I gave up coaching the boys’ basketball team for the girls to have a season. I was given a chance to coach my oldest daughter in a sport she loved and sacrificed so much for.
The second was helping me to restart softball, and then my youngest daughter wanted to try to play. In her second year, she ended up earning the only unanimous coaches’ vote for being on the All-Far East Softball roster as the All-Around Player in the tournament despite losing every game. She ended up playing six of the ten positions and never complained, earning the respect and admiration of the other teams and coaches. She filled in for others and played catcher, pitcher, second base, shortstop, left field, and center field.
STS: What are your aspirations in coaching?
My aspirations in coaching are rooted in growth, service, and faith. I want to continue developing as a leader and technician, but more importantly, I want to keep building environments where athletes feel valued, challenged, and supported. Whether I’m coaching youth, high school, or higher levels, my goal is to help young people discover their God-given potential. I want to continue growing as a leader who develops athletes not just in skill, but in character, resilience, and confidence. I want to create environments where young people feel seen, valued, and supported, especially those who may be fighting battles no one else notices.
Long-term, I hope to mentor other coaches, build strong programs, and use my story to encourage athletes and coaches who feel like they’re starting from behind. and create spaces where character is shaped as intentionally as skill. I want to leave every athlete, team, and program better than I found it, and help athletes become resilient, confident, and grounded individuals long after the season ends. My faith keeps me grounded in the belief that coaching is part of my calling, and I want to be faithful to that calling, to serve with purpose and help others discover their God-given potential one athlete, one practice, one season at a time.
STS: What was the most difficult challenge you have experienced in coaching, and what have you learned from that experience?
Coach Peterson: One of the most difficult and soul-testing decisions I ever faced as a coach happened during the 2016–17 wrestling season. Several players on our team started using social media to make fun of and harass one of their teammates, despite our team rules and expectations. What started as joking quickly crossed the line and became something much more serious.
When I learned how deeply the situation had affected the student involved, I immediately got school leadership involved and worked to make sure the student was safe and supported. It was a sobering reminder that we never truly know what someone may be dealing with outside of athletics and how powerful our words can be.
I then had to determine an appropriate response for the athletes involved. At the time, our team was undefeated, and several of the students involved were among our top wrestlers. I decided that every player involved would face consequences, including suspensions and reflection assignments. I also issued additional consequences for those who played the largest roles in the situation.
This became a major test of whether winning or learning was more important. If I did not have the foundation of Honor, Duty, and Discipline that the Marine Corps instilled in me, along with my faith, I might have been tempted to look the other way in order to protect our season. Instead, I chose to do what I believed was right.
What I learned from that experience is that coaching is about far more than wins and losses. It is about helping young people develop character, accountability, and respect for others. Doing the right thing is not always easy, especially when there is something to lose, but leadership requires integrity. Looking back, I have peace knowing that we put people before results and used a difficult situation as an opportunity for growth and learning.
STS: Is there anything else you can share with us about your coaching story?
Coach Peterson: I want to say that I thank God that he has given me this opportunity to help shape the lives of so many young people and I pray that I did my best. Thank you, STS, for being here and helping me grow every day!
Recent Comments