Building better lives through better coaching.
We are dedicated to educating, certifying, developing, and supporting members of the military community to become expert coaches and exemplary role models for today’s impressionable youth. We not only help veterans, service members, military spouses, and gold-star families fulfill their passion for service and desire for purposeful work, but ultimately create a stronger world community that can benefit future generations.
We believe that our veterans and service members can have a meaningful and lasting impact on others through athletics. We armor Soldier Coaches with high human skills and coaching knowledge, along with connections to the athletic community. This is all made possible by a comprehensive training and support network of top sports, military, business professionals, and donors.
We are dedicated to educating, certifying, developing, and supporting members of the military community to become expert coaches and exemplary role models for today’s impressionable youth. We not only help veterans, service members, military spouses, and gold-star families fulfill their passion for service and desire for purposeful work, but ultimately create a stronger world community that can benefit future generations.
We believe that our veterans and service members can have a meaningful and lasting impact on others through athletics. We armor Soldier Coaches with high human skills and coaching knowledge, along with connections to the athletic community. This is all made possible by a comprehensive training and support network of top sports, military, business professionals, and donors.
STS TEAM
Harrison Bernstein
CEO/Founder
Carl Little
Chief Operating Officer
Director of Community Engagement
Alexandra Kemp
Director of Digital Experience
Social Media and Communications Manager
Mike Taylor
Development Officer
Aaron Brady
Football Director
Leigh Klein
Basketball Director
Dr. Ben Freakley
Soccer Director
Nate Palin
Endurance Sports Director
Emily Kramer Throckmorton
Adaptive Athlete Director
Johannah Zabal
Sports Performance Director
WE ARE ON A MISSION
Soldiers To Sidelines provides training and opportunities for all branches of the military to be excellent coaches in various sports so they will inspire, motivate, and encourage athletes.
The Team That Makes It Happen
We believe that our veterans and service members can have a meaningful and lasting impact on others through athletics. We arm our Soldier Coaches with high human skills and coaching knowledge along with connections to the athletic community. This is all made possible by a comprehensive training and support network of top sports, military, business professionals, and donors.
The Soldiers To Sidelines Story: From Passion to Promise to Purpose
The Soldiers To Sidelines story is about turning one person’s passion project into an efficient organization that promises to achieve enormous impact for our veterans and communities for decades to come.
The STS story is just beginning, and with your help, we will provide a new purpose for thousands of veterans influencing millions of athletes for future generations.
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2025 - First Inaugural STS Summit
The inaugural Soldiers To Sidelines Coaching Summit, held at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, marked a defining milestone for the STS community—made possible by sponsors who believe in the power of service, sport, and second chances. The event welcomed more than 170 attendees, certified 80 new Soldier Coaches, and featured over 30 speakers across multiple sport-specific […]
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2024 - Launched the STS Journey
The STS Journey is an exclusive professional development experience designed for certified STS Soldier Coaches that reflects our long-term commitment to their growth. Built on three core pillars—education, community, and opportunity—it supports coaches not only through initial certification, but throughout their entire coaching career.
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2023 - Keeping One Ball Rolling After Another
Soccer joins the lineup of virtual coaching seminars. Continued in-person multi-day football coaching workshops followed by clinics for high school football players with the purpose of teaching Soldier Coaches how to host a successful high school football clinic. From one of the Soldier Coaches who attended the 2023 Soccer Seminar, “Soldiers To Sidelines, encouraged me […]
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2022 - A Big Year for Growth
Start of an Important Tradition to Honor and Inspire. The Legacy of Leadership Dinner. STS launched the Legacy of Leadership dinner for donors and Soldier Coaches. This event, held annually, recognizes outstanding coaching, military, and business leaders. It is crucial for creating more opportunities for our veterans and military service members. Watch the inaugural Legacy […]
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2021 - Staffing for Greater Impact and Inclusivity
This was the first year STS operated as a fully staffed and effective nonprofit VSO. Besides now being able to benefit hundreds of veterans and thousands of athletes, STS broadened coaching development services to include service members, veterans, military spouses, and Gold Star families. From one of the attendees of the Military Women Virtual Certification […]
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2020 - Facing Adversity with Ingenuity: Adapted to Virtual Certification Seminars, Added Basketball
The COVID pandemic rocked the world, but STS nimbly adapted to this seeming obstacle to its aggressive growth plan. Capitalizing on a reshaped public perception of virtual learning. STS scaled through virtual coaching certification seminars and even expanded the offerings by adding basketball. From one of the Soldier Coaches that attended the basketball seminar: “This […]
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2019 - Going All In for STS
As more STS-certified Soldier Coaches shared their profound stories about how STS saved their lives from depression and suicide, Harrison decided to resign from coaching professional football. He would now dedicate 100% of his time and energy to scaling STS to impact thousands of veterans through multiple sports. Watch this powerful Soldier Coach’s story.
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2015 - Lacrosse Joins the Field
STS was gradually expanding its impact. Each year, STS hosted one football coaching seminar averaging 25 participants and expanded to one lacrosse coaching seminar per year. Listen to this Soldier Coach’s story about the importance of building character in children and young men and women across America.
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2015 - First Coaching Seminar Kicks Off With Football
Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, MD, learned about this new project and donated a classroom to STS to host their first ever coaching seminar for aspiring football coaches who served in the military. Six people attended, and everyone who participated experienced a profound feeling of hope, direction, purpose, and inspiration, including the STS instructors. One […]
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2014 - Veterans Find a New Purpose
The founding of STS was based on a single question: What knowledge would be required to become the ultimate coach? Harrison realized that the inherent training and experience of veterans was the perfect foundation to perform as an impactful character-based coach. At the same time, the veteran population was hungry for a new purpose and […]
-
2025 - First Inaugural STS Summit
The inaugural Soldiers To Sidelines Coaching Summit, held at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, marked a defining milestone for the STS community—made possible by sponsors who believe in the power of service, sport, and second chances. The event welcomed more than 170 attendees, certified 80 new Soldier Coaches, and featured over 30 speakers across multiple sport-specific […]
-
2024 - Launched the STS Journey
The STS Journey is an exclusive professional development experience designed for certified STS Soldier Coaches that reflects our long-term commitment to their growth. Built on three core pillars—education, community, and opportunity—it supports coaches not only through initial certification, but throughout their entire coaching career.
-
2023 - Keeping One Ball Rolling After Another
Soccer joins the lineup of virtual coaching seminars. Continued in-person multi-day football coaching workshops followed by clinics for high school football players with the purpose of teaching Soldier Coaches how to host a successful high school football clinic. From one of the Soldier Coaches who attended the 2023 Soccer Seminar, “Soldiers To Sidelines, encouraged me […]
-
2022 - A Big Year for Growth
Start of an Important Tradition to Honor and Inspire. The Legacy of Leadership Dinner. STS launched the Legacy of Leadership dinner for donors and Soldier Coaches. This event, held annually, recognizes outstanding coaching, military, and business leaders. It is crucial for creating more opportunities for our veterans and military service members. Watch the inaugural Legacy […]
-
2021 - Staffing for Greater Impact and Inclusivity
This was the first year STS operated as a fully staffed and effective nonprofit VSO. Besides now being able to benefit hundreds of veterans and thousands of athletes, STS broadened coaching development services to include service members, veterans, military spouses, and Gold Star families. From one of the attendees of the Military Women Virtual Certification […]
-
2020 - Facing Adversity with Ingenuity: Adapted to Virtual Certification Seminars, Added Basketball
The COVID pandemic rocked the world, but STS nimbly adapted to this seeming obstacle to its aggressive growth plan. Capitalizing on a reshaped public perception of virtual learning. STS scaled through virtual coaching certification seminars and even expanded the offerings by adding basketball. From one of the Soldier Coaches that attended the basketball seminar: “This […]
-
2019 - Going All In for STS
As more STS-certified Soldier Coaches shared their profound stories about how STS saved their lives from depression and suicide, Harrison decided to resign from coaching professional football. He would now dedicate 100% of his time and energy to scaling STS to impact thousands of veterans through multiple sports. Watch this powerful Soldier Coach’s story.
-
2015 - Lacrosse Joins the Field
STS was gradually expanding its impact. Each year, STS hosted one football coaching seminar averaging 25 participants and expanded to one lacrosse coaching seminar per year. Listen to this Soldier Coach’s story about the importance of building character in children and young men and women across America.
-
2015 - First Coaching Seminar Kicks Off With Football
Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, MD, learned about this new project and donated a classroom to STS to host their first ever coaching seminar for aspiring football coaches who served in the military. Six people attended, and everyone who participated experienced a profound feeling of hope, direction, purpose, and inspiration, including the STS instructors. One […]
-
2014 - Veterans Find a New Purpose
The founding of STS was based on a single question: What knowledge would be required to become the ultimate coach? Harrison realized that the inherent training and experience of veterans was the perfect foundation to perform as an impactful character-based coach. At the same time, the veteran population was hungry for a new purpose and […]
Promising Ever More Purposeful Lives
Soldiers To Sidelines continues to use coaching as an effective tool for instilling purpose. Our own purpose is to educate, develop, and certify members of the military community to become expert coaches and exemplary role models for youth. STS helps develop marketable coaching and leadership skills, facilitates access to job opportunities, creates a lifetime of valuable connections, and offers the ongoing support and camaraderie of the STS Tribe, all of which ultimately benefit the larger community as well.
Soldiers To Sidelines ® is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
To contact us, email coach@soldierstosidelines.org
View our 2024 Financials
- Annual Report
- 990
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) # 42644
© 2025 Soldiers To Sidelines
Soldiers To Sidelines ® is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
To contact us, email coach@soldierstosidelines.org
View our 2024 Financials
- Annual Report
- 990
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) # 42644
U.S. Army Veteran, Sergeant Major (Ret.)