USMNT Captain's Rise Shows Why We All Need Good Youth Sports Coaches
Tim Ream grew up playing soccer in St. Louis warehouses with concrete floors — not elite academies. He wasn't the fastest, the biggest, or the most decorated youth player. But he had two coaches, Kevin Kalish and Tommy Howe, who believed in him, pushed him, and created an environment where he could grow at his own pace.
He went on to become the captain of the U.S. Men's National Team at the 2026 World Cup. Steve Borelli sat down with Ream and Kalish to talk about what great youth coaching actually looks like — and what it means for every young athlete and their parents.
"You don't get anywhere on your own, no matter what you're choosing or what your path or what your journey is. The familial introduction by your parents is important, but we all need somebody that isn't a parent — those other coaches and those other people in your life to believe in you and help you."
What Ream's Story Teaches Us
Great coaches teach individuals, not just systems
Kalish and Howe didn't force Ream into a mold. They showed him a direction and trusted him to find his own way there. "It wasn't, 'You have to play this way.' It was, 'Here's a way to get from point A to point B — now find your own path.'"
Mental adversity is part of the development
At 14, Ream ruptured his quad and was out for six months. His coaches kept him involved — at practice, around the team, part of the group. "You get knocked down and you need people who are picking you up." That experience shaped his resilience more than any training session.
Late developers can still make it — if they play the long game
Kalish says Ream wasn't the obvious standout in high school. He was consistent, disciplined, and coachable — and those qualities compounded over time. "He didn't worry about who was getting the most accolades. You got the same guy every single time he showed up."
The right environment matters more than the right program
"The support structure, the coaching staff, the environment those coaches are creating — those things are what's really gonna drive development more than anything," Kalish says. It's not about which club or which academy. It's about who's in the room with your kid.
By Steve Borelli — USA TODAY
Published May 29, 2026 · Republished with permission
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