Isaiah Howard, Redwood High School’s new campus advisor, brings valuable experience from his work in security in the Bay Area. He has been the defensive coordinator of Junior Varsity (JV) football for the past seven seasons and now provides additional mentorship to Redwood’s student body in his new position.
Howard was born in San Francisco and raised in Marin. After graduating from Tamalpais High School in 1995 and College of Marin two years later, he continued his football career at North Dakota State University.
“My passion for football has always been present in my life, and I’ve never stopped being a part of the sport,” Howard said.
While Howard has long been passionate about football, he discovered a second passion for security during his part-time job at Sears.
“The first time I got involved in security was when a loss prevention agent came up to me and said, ‘Hey, I know you play football, and I need some backup,’” Howard said.
Over the next twenty years, he worked in various security roles across the Bay Area, including the Director of Security for the San Francisco Ferry Building, JP Morgan Chase, and Blue Apron. Despite his success in the security industry, Howard wanted to continue his passion for football and develop his coaching career.
Howard has been a football coach for 12 years and this year will be his seventh season at Redwood along with his first year as campus assistant.
As Junior Varsity (JV) defensive coordinator, his connection to Redwood’s students runs deep, as he gets to see his players not only grow as athletes, but also as individuals.
“I get these kids from when they’re sophomores all the way up [to seniors],It’s really cool watching them grow up,” Howard said.
One of Howard’s former players, Markel Doss, expresses his gratitude for Howard’s impact on his JV football experience.
“He’s a great person and coach,” Doss said. “He has taught me many valuable lessons in life.”
Additionally, Doss adds that it is Howard’s ability to teach life lessons alongside football and create a hardworking but also positive environment sets him apart as a coach.
“He taught me how to oversee [and] to fix my mistakes. He can be strict, but it always comes from the heart. He’s a genuine coach and person,” Doss said.
To Howard, football is a tool that can be used for personal growth. He uses his coach position to help his athletes learn how to get past mistakes on and off the field.
“I would say being more of a mentor to the kids, learning about them and giving your time to them is something I really value about this job,” Howard said.
Howard emphasizes the point that high school is a pivotal time and he believes that his role is to remind students of their potential.
“I always say, mistakes are okay when you are this young because you have the opportunity to turn them around,” Howard said.
As Redwood’s new campus advisor, Howard’s focus on mentorship will continue. Despite his push to hold students accountable, he is quick to remind them that his goal is to help.
“I just want kids to know that I’m not just here to get you in trouble. I’m here to help you and steer you in the right direction,” Howard said.
Howard makes his dedication to Redwood clear in the way he connects with students on a personal level.
“I want to leave a legacy as someone who cared,” Howard said. “Someone that, when kids look back on their [high school] experience, they think of as someone who cared about them.”
As Redwood’s new Campus Advisor, Howard hopes to be a role model and mentor who will leave a lasting impact on the students he will work with. Whether it’s guiding athletes, or helping students make better choices, Howard is dedicated to shaping the lives of students.
