Marine Corps veteran Captain Tim Howard didn’t grow up as the star athlete. He never played competitive high school soccer and never imagined that one day coaching would become one of the most meaningful ways he could continue serving others.
What began as a volunteer opportunity during the COVID-19 pandemic quickly turned into a calling. Five years later, Coach Howard leads a U12 recreational soccer team with Tampa Bay United, where his focus isn’t measured by championships or trophies, but by the confidence, resilience, and character his players develop along the way.
Drawing on the leadership lessons he learned in the Marine Corps, Coach Howard believes the greatest responsibility of a coach is to invest in the people behind the players. Through Soldiers to Sidelines, he has continued to grow as both a coach and mentor, finding a community that shares his passion for servant leadership and lifelong learning.
In this month’s Soldier Coach of the Month spotlight, Coach Howard shares how military service shaped his coaching philosophy, why mental health conversations matter in youth sports, and what continues to inspire him every time he steps onto the field.
Q&A
STS: How long have you been coaching?
Coach Howard:
I have been coaching for five years.
STS: Tell your story about how and why you got into coaching. Discuss how coaching has impacted you as a person.
Coach Howard:
Unlike many coaches, I was never a talented player growing up. I only played in recreation leagues and never made it onto a competitive high school team. I continued playing soccer and rugby while serving on active duty in the military, but the passion was always greater than my ability.
My coaching journey began during COVID when office lockdowns and working from home gave me more free time just as my son was beginning to play soccer. I watched from the sidelines as his talented team lost every game that season, and I remember thinking, “I can do better.” The following season, I volunteered to coach a group of seven-year-olds, even though I wasn’t entirely sure what I was doing.
Over the past five years, coaching has strengthened my relationship with my son while allowing me to build lasting relationships with players and families throughout my community. Coaching has given me the opportunity to positively influence the next generation, while constantly challenging me to adapt, grow, and become a better leader myself.
STS: How has your military experience influenced you as a coach?
Coach Howard:
In the Marine Corps, leaders are initially taught to put the mission first. As I grew in leadership, I learned an even more important lesson: if you take care of your Marines, they’ll take care of the mission.
That philosophy has become the foundation of how I coach. I focus on each player as an individual, helping them unlock their own potential and discover their own path to success.
My combat experiences also gave me perspective on what truly matters. I care far less about the numbers on a scoreboard because I know they are insignificant compared to the lasting impact a coach can have on a young person’s life. No matter how competitive the game becomes, it’s still just a game—not a battlefield.
STS: How has Soldiers to Sidelines impacted your life?
Coach Howard:
When I first began coaching recreational soccer, I had very little formal training. My club handed us a PDF with a few practice ideas, but beyond that I was left trying to sort through endless coaching advice online. It wasn’t always clear which philosophies were worth following.
Joining Soldiers to Sidelines in the summer of 2025 changed that. Learning directly from some of the most respected coaches and players in American soccer gave me confidence that I was on the right path. Through Coffee Chats, mentorship, and continued education, I’ve been able to grow professionally while tuning out the noise and focusing on what truly matters as a coach.
STS: Describe a coaching interaction with a player, or group of players, that has a special place in your heart.
Coach Howard:
For the past five years, my team captain has been one of the most talented players I’ve coached, but also the one who constantly keeps me on my toes. During the 2024–2025 season, I noticed him struggling with confidence and worked alongside his parents and Soldiers to Sidelines Mentor Coach Freakley to help him overcome those challenges.
As he entered sixth grade, those struggles became much more serious. His mental health declined, and after experiencing complications with medication, he attempted suicide. Thankfully, he survived without serious physical injury, but it was an incredibly difficult time for everyone involved.
Rather than focusing on soccer, we focused on supporting him. We encouraged him to attend therapy, kept his leadership role on the team, and gave him the time and space he needed to heal.
As he returned, we used the experience to have honest conversations with our team about mental health, including both his depression and my own experiences with PTSD as a combat veteran. Those conversations helped our players become more empathetic teammates and strengthened the bond within our team.
Watching him recover, regain his confidence, and score 21 goals after scoring only five the previous season was incredible—but seeing him become a happier, healthier young man meant even more.
STS: What are your aspirations in coaching?
Coach Howard:
In the near term, my goal is simple: continue coaching my son for as long as possible while making a positive impact on every child who joins our team.
While many coaches dream of reaching higher levels, I see myself as a champion for grassroots soccer. Recreational players deserve great coaching just as much as elite athletes. The lessons they learn through sports—teamwork, discipline, confidence, and character—will stay with them long after the final whistle.
Long-term, I’d also like to help increase access to soccer in communities that are often priced out of the sport by the current pay-to-play system.
STS: What was the most difficult challenge you have experienced in coaching, and what have you learned from that experience?
Coach Howard:
One of my greatest challenges came when both of my assistant coaches had to step away. I suddenly found myself managing everything alone while balancing the demands of life outside soccer.
During one particularly difficult match, I found myself facing extremely confrontational coaches whose behavior triggered memories associated with my PTSD. While I maintained control, I realized afterward that I couldn’t do everything alone.
Since then, I’ve made it a priority to have another trusted adult beside me on the sideline. Coach Freakley often talks about the importance of emotional constancy, and I’ve learned that asking for support helps me be the steady leader my players deserve.
STS: Is there anything else you can share with us about your coaching story?
Coach Howard:
As my players reach the age when many kids begin leaving organized sports, one of the greatest compliments I’ve received has come from parents telling me their children don’t necessarily love soccer—they simply love being part of our team.
That tells me we’ve built the kind of culture every coach hopes for. None of these kids are headed to Major League Soccer, but every one of them deserves great coaching that goes beyond tactics and techniques. I don’t know exactly where this coaching journey will lead, but I truly believe the best is yet to come.