Maurice Allen, a U.S. Army veteran, husband, father, and football coach, found a renewed sense of purpose after his military service through Soldiers to Sidelines, a veteran charity that certifies “soldier coaches.” Allen enlisted in the Army in 2012, serving for four years with a deployment to Afghanistan in 2014-15. Despite his passion for coaching, he put his dream on hold to serve his country and pursue his education.
After completing his service, Allen earned a Bachelor’s degree, a Masters of Education in Sports Administration, and an Education Specialist degree. He was searching for coaching opportunities specifically for veterans when he discovered Soldiers to Sidelines. The organization, founded by Harrison Bernstein, aims to provide purpose to military members through coaching while serving the youth community. Allen attended a seminar and was impressed by the dedication to veterans.
Soldiers to Sidelines offers a free coaching program for veterans, service members, military spouses, and gold-star families. Bernstein, inspired by a colleague’s idea, started the program in 2010 to help service members find purpose and happiness through coaching. More than 1,800 soldier coaches have been certified across eight sports, with veterans comprising 38% of the coaches.
Allen, now the head football coach at South Paulding High School in Georgia, recently became the first “soldier coach” to intern with an NFL team, the New York Jets. This experience exposed him to the intricacies of coaching at the highest level and inspired him to continue spreading the mission of Soldiers to Sidelines. He believes the organization provides a team outside the military for veterans to join and make a positive impact on the lives of youth at various levels of sports.
Allen encourages transitioning service members and active-duty personnel involved in coaching to consider Soldiers to Sidelines as a platform to continue their passion and influence more lives. The program offers continued learning opportunities after certification, including online coursework, webinars, and workshops. While coaching at different schools across multiple states, Allen is determined to share his knowledge and experience to benefit his community and support the mission of Soldiers to Sidelines.