It was the late 1990s in Mankato, Minnesota, and the high school football team was in a slump. They endured a demoralizing, years-long losing streak, and morale was at an all-time low. At that time, few could have predicted that Tim Walz, an unassuming educator, would not only steer the team to the state championships, but also embark on a journey that would take him all the way to the White House.
Walz credits his early political successes to the leadership skills and local reputation he built while coaching high school football. After completing high school in 1989, he attended Chadron State College in Nebraska, where he earned a degree in social science education. After college, Walz enlisted in the Army National Guard and subsequently moved to China for a short period to teach. Upon returning to the United States, he took a teaching job in western Nebraska and later settled in Mankato, Minnesota, where he took a position as a geography teacher at Mankato West High School. It was here that Walz’s coaching career began to take shape. And while some MAGA-aligned naysayers took to social media to object to Walt’s former players taking the DNC stage to thank him, pointing out that Walz was not the football program’s head coach, this sure seems like a laughably minor quibble, and it certainly looked like his players valued him as a valuable coach and mentor.
But we digress. When Walz joined the coaching staff, the Mankato West Scarlets were in dire need of a turnaround. The team had endured a winless 0-27 run in the three years prior to his arrival. However, under the guidance of head coach Rick Sutton and Walz’s defensive leadership, the Scarlets underwent a remarkable transformation. By 1999, he had helped steer the team to an eight-game winning streak, culminating in a state championship. This was no small feat, and speaks volumes about his ability to inspire others toward collective goals. Off the field, Walz demonstrated his commitment to inclusivity and support for marginalized communities. In the late 1990s, he served as the first faculty adviser for Mankato West High School’s Gay-Straight Alliance.
Walz’s coaching career was not without its challenges. In 1995, he was arrested for drunk driving and subsequently pleaded guilty to reckless driving. As a result, Walz made the difficult decision to resign from his coaching position. He could have let this setback define him, but instead, he used it as an opportunity for growth and self-reflection. Walz continued to teach and coach until 2006, when he felt called to serve his community in a new way. He launched a campaign for Congress, drawing on the lessons he learned as a coach and educator.
The Harris campaign recognizes the power of Walz’s coaching background, and is leveraging it to appeal to voters who value the qualities of a great leader: vision, empathy, adaptability, and the ability to unite people toward a common goal. In the months leading up to the 2024 presidential election, expect to hear more about Coach Walz’s extraordinary journey.