Maurice Allen has worn many alternative hats in life. He is a U.S. Army veteran, a husband, a father and a soccer coach.
He can also be a “soldier coach.”
Allen, a retired Army communications specialist, is simply one of many greater than 1,800 “soldier coaches” licensed via the veteran charity Soldiers to Sidelines that was capable of finding a renewed objective after his navy service.
Maurice Allen enlisted within the U.S. Army in 2012 and served for 4 years, which included his deployment to Afghanistan in 2014-15. (Maurice Allen)
“I performed highschool soccer. I type of all the time knew I needed to be a coach. I used to be going to go to play faculty soccer out of highschool and as a substitute went energetic responsibility Army and was stationed at Fort Hood,” Allen informed Fox News Digital in an interview.
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Allen put his dream of teaching on maintain to serve his nation and, finally, to pursue his schooling. He enlisted in 2012 and served for 4 years, which included his deployment to Afghanistan in 2014-15.
His story is like many others. However, after finishing his service, Allen knew he needed to return to teaching. With that in thoughts, he earned his Bachelor’s diploma and a Masters of Education in Sports Administration on the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and later an Education Specialist diploma from Valdosta State University.
During that point, nonetheless, Allen was in search of one thing that was only for veterans. That was when he got here throughout Soldiers to Sidelines.
He reached out to Harrison Bernstein, the president and founding father of Soldiers to Sidelines, a veteran service charity group whose mission is to supply a renewed sense of objective to members of the navy group via teaching whereas additionally serving the youth group.
They stored involved and, finally, Allen was in a position to attend one of many Soldiers to Sidelines seminars.
“It’s simply a tremendous group that actually places our veterans on the forefront. And it is one thing that I strongly imagine in, and it is simply been a tremendous alternative.”
The program is free and is accessible to veterans, service members, navy spouses and gold-star households. (Soldiers to Sidelines)
SOLDIERS TO SIDELINES FOUNDER ON A MISSION TO HELP VETERANS AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
Bernstein informed Fox News Digital that the concept for a training program designed for service members took place in 2010 after his time with the Washington Commanders, the place he served as an assistant energy and conditioning coach for 3 years.
“I used to be teaching highschool soccer and a colleague of mine was adamant about serving to out service members within the space become involved in teaching soccer, as a result of the information was simply riddled with individuals getting back from the Middle East in search of objective, in search of a option to reconnect and to seek out some renewed happiness and objective,” Bernstein defined.
“And so it was really a colleague who instructed that we deliver a number of the native veterans out to highschool soccer observe and make them a part of the crew and educate them the right way to coach soccer.”
Bernstein admitted that he was not initially within the thought. He was engaged on perfecting his personal teaching approach with the hopes of returning to the NFL. But after a lot persistence, Bernstein obliged and held a seminar that simply six individuals attended. To his shock, Bernstein’s plans for his future had shifted in that second and Soldiers to Sidelines was born.
More than 1,800 soldier coaches have now been licensed via this system throughout eight completely different sports activities. Veterans make up 38% of licensed coaches, whereas retired and energetic responsibility make up one other 25% and 27%.
The program is free and obtainable to veterans, service members, navy spouses, and gold-star households. After finishing the certification course of, Soldiers to Sidelines presents continued studying with on-line coursework, webinars, workshops and extra.
Those who’ve accomplished the certification course of have gone on to educate in any respect ranges. For Bernstein, although, probably the most affect will be seen in those that coach on the youth stage.
Maurice Allen is the top soccer coach at South Paulding High School in Georgia. (Maurice Allen)
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Allen at present serves as the top soccer coach at South Paulding High School in Georgia. He beforehand coached at completely different 5A-8A colleges throughout Texas, Florida and Georgia. However, within the spring, Soldiers to Sidelines helped to introduce him to a brand new alternative.
Allen turned the primary soldier coach to land an internship with an NFL crew, the New York Jets. He labored with the crew throughout obligatory minicamp and OTAs.
“It was simply actually, actually intriguing simply to see how they function and the way they observe, the teaching factors and the way intricate it’s coming from highschool as much as the NFL,” Allen mentioned. “But simply to see the extent of element preparation and the ins and outs of this system and the way they convey with one another and the teaching employees talk. And it was by far top-of-the-line experiences that I’ve been part of and made some actually good connections and obtained to be taught.”
Maurice Allen was the primary “soldier coach” to get an internship with an NFL crew this previous spring. (Maurice Allen)
Allen mentioned the expertise opened his eyes to the potential for teaching on the highest stage. For now, he’s taking all that he realized and repurposing that data inside his personal group. He can also be trying to proceed spreading the mission of Soldiers to Sidelines.
“There’s a crew outdoors of the navy you could be part of and be part of, and that is Soldiers to Sidelines,” Allen mentioned of these service members transitioning out of the navy.
“It provides you a objective, and you may contact so many lives, whether or not or not it’s youth, center college, highschool, faculty or the NFL. There’s so many lives and so many individuals you could are available in contact with and affect. So my message for any veteran on the market that’s or trying to transition, and even in the event you’re nonetheless energetic responsibility and also you’re teaching a youth or center college crew, Soldiers to Sidelines is for you.”
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