Soldiers to Sidelines founder on a mission to assist veterans and provides again to the neighborhood

Harrison Bernstein has lengthy had aspirations of teaching soccer on the skilled stage. In 2019 and after greater than a decade of labor, he obtained that chance. But Bernstein’s ardour for teaching had developed into one thing else. 

He would sacrifice that dream with the intention to give again to a neighborhood that made the choice to danger the last word sacrifice. 

Harrison Bernstein, the president and founding father of Soldiers to Sidelines, started the veteran charity in 2010. (Soldiers to Sidelines)

Bernstein is the president and founding father of Soldiers to Sidelines, a veteran charity group whose mission is to offer a renewed sense of function to members of the army neighborhood by way of teaching whereas additionally serving the youth neighborhood. 

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Speaking to Fox News Digital, Bernstein stated that the concept for Soldiers to Sidelines happened 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 get entangled in teaching soccer, as a result of the information was simply riddled with folks getting back from the Middle East on the lookout for function, on the lookout for a strategy to reconnect and to search out some renewed happiness and function,” Bernstein defined. 

“And so it was truly a colleague who urged that we convey a number of the native veterans out to highschool soccer apply and make them a part of the group and train them easy methods to coach soccer.” 

Harrison Bernstein of the Washington Commanders poses for his 2009 NFL headshot at photograph day in Landover, Maryland.  (Photo by  (NFL Photos by way of Getty Images)

Bernstein admitted that he wasn’t initially within the thought. He was engaged on perfecting his personal teaching approach with the hopes of returning to the NFL. 

“The intent at that second was for me to return into the NFL and turn into this unimaginable defensive backs coach, proper? That’s what I assumed I needed to do.” 

But after a lot persistence, Bernstein obliged and held a seminar that simply six folks attended. To his shock, Bernstein’s plans for his future had shifted at that second and Soldiers to Sidelines was born. 

“The inspiration wasn’t a flash for me. This was one thing that developed inside me, and now has turn into my life’s work.” 

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Those who’ve accomplished the certification course of have gone on to educate in any respect ranges – highschool, collegiate, and even the skilled stage.  (Soldiers to Sidelines)

“Once I began connecting with the veterans and repair members and began to see how a lot it modified their life, you recognize, listening to tales – I imply, some tales had been actually deep the place people had been battling the last word unhealthy choice and to convey them out of that and perceive that they’d a renewed sense of function actually affected me. So a lot in order that I gave up a profession in teaching soccer on the highest stage to spend all my time doing this.” 

Over 1,800 “soldier coaches” have now been licensed by way of this system throughout eight totally different sports activities. Veterans make up 38% of licensed coaches, whereas retired and energetic obligation make up one other 25% and 27%. 

The program is free and is offered to veterans, service members, army spouses, and gold-star households. After finishing the certification course of, Soldiers to Sidelines provides 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 – highschool, collegiate, and even the skilled stage. But for Bernstein, probably the most impression will be seen in those that coach on the youth stage. 

Over 1,800 “soldier coaches” have now been licensed by way of this system throughout eight totally different sports activities. (Soldiers to Sidelines)

“Our nation is struggling a scarcity of coaches, and we’re additionally struggling a scarcity of high quality coaches. Most coaches are volunteer-based, there is not any formal coaching, and sadly, most of the civilian coaches are self-serving – they’re doing it for private causes somewhat than simply investing into the youngsters. Some are, many aren’t. But our soldier coaches, who’re used to selfless service, are actually pouring into the youngsters. Our imaginative and prescient is to create a military of 10,000 character-based soldier coaches influencing thousands and thousands of children per yr.”

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Another objective of Soldiers to Sidelines is to make sure that the U.S. army stays an “all volunteer power,” as Bernstein places it. 

“The U.S. army is struggling a nationwide safety disaster as a result of recruiting is decrease than it is ever been, and the propensity to serve is decrease than it is ever been. And why that is necessary is, proper now we now have the luxurious of an all-volunteer power… Soldiers and Sidelines is right here to make sure the way forward for the all-volunteer power. And we will try this by having probably the most inspirational motivational leaders, our soldier coaches, locally displaying children that a lifetime of army service is an effective factor. And additionally, you will develop as an individual, as a pacesetter, you may be match, you’ll learn to drawback clear up, you’ll serve your nation – so we’re bringing these values again.” 

The program is free and is offered to veterans, service members, army spouses, and gold-star households. (Soldiers to Sidelines)

Bernstein’s hope is that Soldiers to Sidelines will develop to work with each main sports activities league, however extra importantly, that extra shall be inspired to hitch this system to turn into soldier coaches and, in flip, impression their communities in a optimistic manner. 

“We’re on a path to 10,000 soldier coaches influencing greater than 1,000,000 children per yr. Just take into consideration that impression. It can actually change the material of our nation.” 

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