Tyler Turner Named Southington Boys Soccer Head Coach

SHS boys soccer coach Tyler Turner. PHOTO COURTESY TYLER TURNER

Tyler Turner’s life has played out on the pitch. He says he was brought into this world with a soccer ball on his foot. Now, Turner will be using his experience to help foster the next generation of players as Southington High School’s boys soccer head coach.

Turner is entering his fourth year with the Southington Soccer Club, currently serving as their Coaching Director. He has seen the program grow from 220 players to more than 550 over that time. When the Blue Knights head coaching position opened, many of those players encouraged Turner to apply.

Still, he waited at least four days after the listing was posted before he applied, unsure whether he would even be on Southington’s radar. Ultimately Turner did submit that application, and land the Blue Knights lead role. The reality that he is a head coach may not have fully set in yet, but Turner is already planning what he wants to bring to the boy’s soccer program.

“Still getting used to that title. It has been eye opening,” Turner said. “High school soccer is different from club soccer, even collegiate level. It’s pride, playing for your community. It is everything to me at the moment, I’m very excited. I wanna show a more competitive level. When coaching soccer players at the youth level, I’m not the coach that’s advocating you need to win, win, win. Now, stepping into the boat here, wins and losses at the high school really matter.”

“My first objective is always to have a helping hand in raising mature, young adults. If that’s the case, it’ll trickle onto the soccer field,” he continued. “But for me to have this opportunity to bring a different culture, bring my experience and mesh it all together in my ultimate game plan - I couldn’t ask for anything more. I am super excited and I just hope that the players, parents and community is going to be understanding of that and have our backs. I am fully bought in and 100 percent committed to this.”

Athletic Director Bob McKee shared Turner’s eagerness. Given the ties he already has to the community, he’s confident in the head coach’s ability to move Southington boys soccer forward.

“We are incredibly excited to have Tyler lead our program,” McKee said. “He brings an exceptional background, having played at the highest professional level and coached at the professional, collegiate and youth levels. Tyler is already planting deep roots here by working with the Southington Soccer Club, which will bridge the gap between our two programs and strengthen the entire local soccer community.”

Turner’s Coaching Transition

Throughout his playing days, Turner served as a coach for many different clubs. He spent time with MLS teams like Orlando City and the LA Galaxy, Rollins College in Florida and indoor teams in both Iowa and Milwaukee.

The transition to being a coach forced Turner to look in the mirror. He had been so focused on improving his own skills. Now, it was his time to give back and share everything he knew.

“It made me self-reflect a lot, step back from myself and see the whole soccer world,” Turner said. “Not every player wants to reach the level I wanted to reach when I was younger. It’s better that I had the experience of reaching the highest level. No matter what, I’m still able to give the players exactly what they need to my fullest capacity.”

“I’m not going to come out here and do something 50 percent. How much I was invested in this, in the transition to coaching, the players can feel that,” he continued. “They know this is my life. They know this is what I do. I don’t have a safety net. Regardless of on-the-field stuff, it’s about how I can relate to young players. They feel the realness in my messages and emotions that I dedicate to them.”

Turner wasn’t exactly sure how his professional journey would start after hanging up his cleats at 25-years-old. He wanted to stay in soccer, but his opportunities were running dry.

“I did not know what I wanted to do with my life,” Turner said. “I know I wanted to stay in soccer, but I had no job opportunities. I signed my first contract at 17-years-old, left high school. I didn’t have a diploma or GED at the time. Going from the highest ups, I was turned down from McDonalds at one point.”

Then came the Southington Soccer Club. Once he saw an opening, he joined the program for a spring trial. Turner shone in that role, and has been with the club ever since, rising up the ranks. He saw the opportunity as the universe pushing him down the right avenue.

It also allowed Turner to put some of his plans in place. He had an idea of what he wanted youth soccer to look like in Connecticut. With the SSC community welcoming him warmly, Turner found his place in the coaching world. His time with soccer was far from over.

“I did not know I was this good, respectfully, at working with youth. To go from two-year olds to the high school job, that was eye-opening for me. I was more hesitant and nervous. But with the reassurance, relationships and connections I have with these families, they have welcomed me completely,” Turner said.

“The welcoming was the biggest hurdle and milestone. They made it so easy for me to hop in and trust what I’m doing. All credit goes to the kids, players and families. I would not be who I am if they didn’t treat me with the warm welcome and keep giving me that reassurance that they’re on my side and have my back.”

Now, going on four years with the Southington Soccer Club, Turner has had the opportunity to work with many current Blue Knights. Their growth has happened right before his eyes. Those players are well aware of Turner’s expectations. And it shouldn’t be long before any new additions get the message.

“The biggest eye opener for me is how much they have grown and changed. I have no kids myself, but it felt like a proud father moment,” Turner said. “To be able to work with them before I had the intention or desire to take over at the high school was super beneficial. They got to experience the raw me as a coach, who was trying to bring that professional experience.”

“Nothing has changed from club to now in my expectations or standards,” he continued. “A lot of respect from me to the players and the players back to me. It was a good foundation to start off with. It’s just how the universe works. I couldn’t ask for a better environment to step into with these boys.”

Ironically enough, the idea of coaching was something of an insult to Turner when he was a player. Every coach he had from U14 on told him he would be a better coach than a player. He didn’t understand it at the time. But Turner now gets the message those coaches were sending clearly.

“Now stepping into the coaching world, I know exactly what they meant,” Turner said. “To say that out loud, I get goosebumps. I have the same fulfillment as they did seeing my teams play.”

On the Pitch

Turner began his soccer career when he was three years old. He says he “had no choice,” as his mother was a member of the USA Women’s National Team pool alongside players like Mia Hamm. His entire family was filled with soccer heads from his uncles to his godmother. They all told Turner that he started kicking a ball before he even started walking.

At age 13, Turner was scouted for the USA National Team from the former South Central Premier Soccer Club. Ironically enough, he wasn’t the player scouts came to see - it was the opponent matched up against him. Turner always tells his athletes, “every time you step on the field, treat it like it’s your last.” That mentality earned him the eye of the USA National Team and jumpstarted his professional career.

Turner played on the USA National Team from U13 to U23. He was teammates with numerous USA players in the most recent World Cup such as Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams. For many of those years, Turner served as the team captain.

Along with his time on the National Team, Turner played in Major League Soccer for Orlando City. When he signed his contract in 2014, he became the youngest player in club history at the time.

Every step of the way has prepared Turner for his new role as coach. He has seen everything the sport has to offer and understands the sacrifices each player makes. That experience has played a direct role in how Turner now sees the game.

“Whatever team that I coach, we are a family,” Turner said. “You’re there three, four days a week, training for hours. Games during the week, tournaments. You treat everyone with respect. There’s no favoritism, everyone is on the same level. You are the advocate for how you’re going to be treated. If you can create a culture everyone believes in, that is the sign of a great coach. If your team can conform into one unit, the ceiling is non-existent. You can push through.”

 

Turner Building Southington Culture

One clear tenet of Turner’s vision for the program is community. He wants his players to volunteer their time and give back, helping grow the younger generation. Furthermore, he wants playing for Southington to be a badge of honor.

At the same time, Turner understands the importance of winning at the high school level. Coming off of a 3-11-2 season, the Blue Knights are trying to get vastly better in that department.

Their new head coach is expecting them to play with a chip on their shoulder. Plenty of nervousness and tense moments are to come. But if Southington is prepared to face every obstacle, Turner knows they’ll succeed.

“Nerves are okay. I’m expecting you to be nervous coming into the season because you have something to prove. To have nerves shows you care,” Turner said. “But I promise you, preparation is the key ingredient to that equation. If you are prepared, and I will prepare you, you should not be worried. Nerves are appropriate, but if you can rely on how much work we’re doing this summer going into the season, you guys are fine. I will prepare you for whatever the game is going to throw at you. Trust in the process, trust in the system.”

After helping build the Southington Soccer Club, Turner is now embracing his next challenge. Helping the Blue Knights reach new heights will take time, but it's a project Turner is eager to tackle. Eventually he wants Southington boys soccer to be hoisting the state championship at the end of their season. But to start, Turner is looking to build a new foundation for the Blue Knights.

“I would love to win a state championship. Any coach in any sport, if they’re not telling you that, they’re lying,” Turner said. “But my immediate goal is implementing that family culture environment. I’m expecting these boys to develop that relationship with each other throughout the rest of the year. How are you going to keep each other involved outside of the season?”

“It’s not going to be a one-year process. If they can create that culture, that standard throughout the year, it translates on the field,” he concluded. “We’re more cohesive and more of a family fighting for each other.”