For Tim Marsh, the path to the pitch wasn’t paved by early triumphs or childhood dreams of soccer glory.
In fact, Marsh left the game behind at age 11, pushed away by bullying in a time when support structures were scarce. It wasn’t until years later—when his son picked up the sport—that Marsh felt something ignite inside him.
“It was just a raw enthusiasm that he had,” Marsh recalls. “And it kind of sparked a passion in me as well. Even if my kids eventually move on from soccer, I’ll probably still be doing this. Honestly, it’s the only hobby I have left.”
That moment marked the quiet start of what would become over a decade of coaching for Sault Youth Soccer and Northern Heights Soccer Club – an indoor league played locally. But Marsh’s coaching journey didn’t begin with a formal application or a call from a boardroom—it began on the sidelines, with a mother who noticed his presence and passion.
“She came up to me during my son’s first season,” Marsh remembers. “She said, ‘You’re always here, helping out, cheering everyone on. Why don’t you just coach?’”
He said yes—and hasn’t looked back.
Despite always signing up as an assistant, Marsh found himself repeatedly handed full teams to run solo. Over time, he embraced the chaos of grassroots coaching: no guarantees of practices, rotating rosters, and players learning the rules as they played. But it’s in that messiness where Marsh thrives.
“When you only get games and no practice time, you’re teaching on the fly constantly. It forced me to adapt, to really watch and understand what each team needs most.”
He calls himself a motivator more than a tactician—and he means it. His goal isn’t to churn out the next elite athlete. It’s to give every kid, no matter their skill level, a chance to grow, contribute, and love the game.
“One of my favourite players was a girl named Lexi. She didn’t want to be there. Her parents made her join,” he says. “She just stood there—wouldn’t move. But the first time the ball came her way? Boom. What a kick. I made a huge deal of it. I hyped her up every single time she touched the ball. And now? She’s playing again. That’s the win.”
Marsh’s coaching is marked by empathy, humour, and an ability to find joy in the smallest victories. He sees the field not just as a place to learn sport, but to foster community and confidence. Whether it’s finding creative ways to teach tactics—like a fast-paced Tic-Tac-Toe drill—or helping players navigate language barriers with humour and care, Marsh approaches every session with heart.
“You’ve got to make the space fun, supportive, and safe. I’ve called off games before because I didn’t feel the players were going to be safe. Winning’s not the point. Safety and growth are.”
A Domino’s operating partner by day, Marsh draws clear parallels between his workplace leadership and his coaching style.
“At work or on the field, I tell everyone—my expectations start at zero. Then, as I see what you’re capable of, they rise. That way, no one starts off behind.”
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Despite balancing two Domino’s locations, 40+ staff, and his own family, Marsh keeps finding himself back on the field. Even when he says he’ll take a break, he gets the call—and answers.
“One year I got three separate emails from coaches begging me to take a team. I said no—and then I said yes. And honestly? That turned out to be one of my best seasons.”
In a league where scores aren’t always tracked and standings don’t tell the whole story, Marsh measures success differently.
“If I can beat every team once? That’s enough for me. That’s my benchmark,” he grins.
But it’s not about beating others. It’s about watching players succeed—on their own terms. Many of Marsh’s former players have moved up into competitive leagues like Junior United, some of whom he now faces on the opposite sideline.
“I told my team at the end of one season, ‘You all should try out.’ And now I’m coaching against half of them. But that’s the best part—seeing them succeed, knowing they found a love for the game.”
His most cherished moment came not in a win, but in a season where his team sat bottom of the standings. Despite the losses, they all showed up to the banquet—waiting in the lobby, cheering his name when he arrived late.
“I almost teared up,” he admits. “That’s when you know you’ve done something right.”
So what’s the final message he wants every player to carry with them?
“Just have fun,” Marsh says. “If it ever stops feeling like fun, it’s time to find something else that lights you up. Because that passion—that’s everything.”
Tim is such a warm, genuine person! The kids and parents are lucky to have him.