Howler Magazine

Howler was an independent soccer magazine launched on Kickstarter and I remember being in awe of it from the very beginning. The stories were unique and the art was eye-popping. For American soccer obsessives it was unlike anything else available.

Eventually — after sending many bad pitches that embarrass me in retrospect — I had a pitch accepted to report a web feature on a booming minor-league team in Sacramento. At a time when passion for lower-division soccer was just taking off, I drove up and spent a night at a playoff match, speaking with supporters, players, and coaches about what was going so right in Sacramento.

After that piece was published I also wrote web features on a rebuilding club in Orange County and a German club entering into esports (a story I was particularly proud of identifying and reporting out at the time).

As someone who loved the magazine and the people making it, I took every chance to learn from George, Brooks, and the team. I was eventually asked to help as part of the editorial team. I developed and helped write a multi-piece print package on the history of soccer’s rules and all the attempts to improve them over time (which you can see below). I also worked with other young writers as a story editor on pieces for print and online.

Eventually, when I got a more demanding full-time job and Howler changed ownership, I stepped back from being involved.