Kate Howarth steps down as CHS girls soccer coach

Kate Howarth, shown with her players, is leaving to pursue a professional soccer opportunity.

After seven successful seasons as head coach of the Canton High School girls soccer program, Kate Howarth announced last week that she is stepping down to pursue an opportunity to play in a women’s professional soccer league.

In addition to coaching the Bulldogs, Howarth also worked for the Canton Fire Department as an EMT-firefighter for a few years before moving on to the Norfolk Fire Department, where she later become the head of the EMS Department. She guided Canton to the state tournament in each of her seven seasons while compiling a record of 73-49-13, including two trips to the south sectional semifinals in 2016 and 2019.

CHS Athletic Director Danny Erickson said Howarth’s positive impact could be seen “far beyond the wins and tournament runs.”

“As an accomplished Division I college soccer star (University of Miami) with a stint in the Women’s Professional Soccer League with the Boston Breakers, Kate was a role model for all of our student-athletes — particularly members of her teams,” Erickson said. “Her decision to step away from CHS is just her latest modeling of excellence as she is stepping down to pursue her life-long passion to play high level professional soccer.”

Erickson said Howarth demonstrated tremendous growth during her coaching tenure at CHS. “She provided a professional soccer mind and competitive attitude that are rare in the high school game,” he said. “Beyond that, she is a great person. She will be missed! Good luck to her in pursuing her next goals and dreams. If anyone knows how to go fight for something, it’s Kate. Let’s all support her as she takes her next steps.”

In a written statement to the community, Howarth said, “When I took the job seven years ago, I took it because I wanted to teach girls the game I love so much! But more importantly, I wanted to learn and grow and be someone who the girls could count on. I wanted to teach them to believe in themselves more than anything else. I am overwhelmingly grateful to have been given the opportunity to work for these girls for the last seven years. And they have taught me and given me more than I could have ever imagined. Coaching has made me a better player, a better leader, and more importantly, a more understanding human.”

“Throughout my coaching journey at Canton, we have had amazing comeback wins, some gut-crushing overtime losses, and everything in between,” Howarth said. “We have had challenges and adverse moments, but every single one of those moments we turned into a chance to become more equipped, mentally tough humans. Those have been the moments I have cherished the most.”

Howarth thanked Erickson for trusting her to lead the program despite her inexperience and said she is “very proud” of what she and the players built during her time at the school. “We have earned respect, established expectations, and maintained a consistency of winning,” she said. “We didn’t always get the result, but we played a brand of soccer that I was very proud of.”

Howarth has an opportunity to play in the preseason camp for the Orlando Pride of the National Women’s Soccer League. “It took me a long time to think about and make this decision,” she said. “I’ve been telling these girls for seven years now to chase their dreams and that they are the only person standing between them and what they want. That being said, I think it’s time I start taking my own advice.”

“I have always told these girls to give everything they have and leave it all out on the field and I have always expected the same of myself,” she added. “While walking away isn’t easy, I can walk away knowing I did just that … I loved calling Canton my home for the last seven years, and I’ve always been so proud to wear the ‘C’ on my chest. I cherish my time here in Canton and will miss it very much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

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