Former Brighton standout takes over as Bulldogs boys soccer coach

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Mark Howell had his opportunities to coach varsity soccer elsewhere, but there was only one place he wanted to coach.

“It’s a great honor, really,” he said Saturday after being named to replace Rob Williams as Brighton’s boys soccer coach. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do since graduating. I feel pretty fortunate to lead the program I loved playing for.”

Howell, a former All-State goalie for the Bulldogs, spent the last two seasons as a Brighton girls assistant coach, the last of 12 years as an assistant with the boys and the girls programs.

“He was on the only Brighton boys team to make it to the state finals,” Brighton athletic director John Thompson said. “It was a great run, and our goal is to get back to the finals and win it.”

Getting there, Howell said, is about team bonding more than ability.

“You can make a decent team great if they will go through a wall for one another,” he said. “Making team chemistry and bonding a point of emphasis is going to be important. It’s something I’ll work to establish in the offseason and during the season. I think those are things that can get you over the hump.”

Talent has never been a problem at Brighton, and Howell takes over a team that was unbeaten last year until a loss in a regional semifinal.

“Soccer is unique in that kids play eight or nine months for their  club team,” he said. “So they come to high school with the foundation established. It’s about how you get players to work together for the same goals and support the same thing. Walls can be broken down in the offseason so you can work to accomplish the same thing.”

Howell also is a cancer survivor, having survived a four-year battle with melanoma, an experience he says “changed my whole perspective on life. It really helped me embrace all the relationships I have. Some of the teams I coached through my health battle have been a giant catalyst in providing me with extra support and inspiration to battle each day. I’ve been cancer-free for a year. That can change at any time, but a renewed perspective is refreshing.”

Howell also played basketball at Brighton, where he went from being on the field all of the time in soccer to being a role player on the hardwood.

“I wasn’t as good at basketball, but I was fortunate to be on the team,” he said. “I had to work my butt off and give what I could at the time. Understanding different roles on the team can be applied to any role, and I hope I can use that knowledge in coaching players 1-20.”

“Mark’s a well-rounded person who has a good soccer background,” Thompson said. “He knows not only Brighton soccer, but the club end of things too. And he knows the community. When you have someone who’s homegrown and has his experience, you can provide the leadership that’s necessary. It’s a great thing to be able to do.”

Howell will meet players, parents and the general public at a meet-the-coach meeting at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 5 in the Brighton High School cafeteria.

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1 Comment

  1. Congrats to you Mark!! Very happy for you! Your experience, passion for the game and rapport with your players makes you the perfect choice.

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