Tim Howard Leadership Academy
August 6 – August 9, 2026
The NJCTS Tim Howard Leadership Academy is designed to develop self-leadership, advocacy skills, and resilience in teens with Tourette Syndrome (TS) and its associated disorders. The program increases the participants’ understanding of their disorders and provides opportunities and a safe environment to explore and identify their strengths, challenges, needs, and skills. The Academy provides an intentional space to build critical skills that will help young people with TS, like Tim Howard, to excel and, through that success, inspire others.
About the Academy
The NJCTS Tim Howard Leadership Academy is a four-day program that takes place in dormitories on Busch Campus at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in Piscataway. Participants work, play, eat and sleep at Rutgers and enjoy a wide range of activities, including:
- Interacting with doctors, psychologists, and other experts in the field to learn more about Tourette Syndrome
- Being a part of large and small group discussions with other teens and young adults with TS. You’ll hear their stories and have opportunities to share your own!
- Participating in a variety of recreational activities.
- Learn how to grow your own self-advocacy efforts and help advocate for others.
- Forming friendships and connections with other participants, and meeting successful young adults who will serve as Coaches, guiding participants through the weekend’s events!
Become a Coach
NJCTS Tim Howard Leadership Academy coaches are invaluable members of the leadership team at the core of the Academy. Coaches are between 20-30, have a TS diagnosis, may have been diagnosed with co-morbid conditions, and ideally have considerable leadership experience. Applicants must be out of high school for at least two years, with college or post-high school work experience, to be considered for the position. Coaches are comfortable sharing their own experiences, strengths, and struggles, while providing support to others who may be struggling to share their own experiences.
The application deadline is May 15, 2026.
Tim Howard
Born in North Brunswick, New Jersey, Tim Howard is a retired American goalkeeper, widely considered one of the greatest in USMNT history. Tim is now a full-time studio analyst for NBC Sports and their English Premier League broadcast. Tim has spoken openly about TS and has educated millions of people across the world about the disorder.
I’ve always tried to live my dreams, even if they were too big for me to fathom. With Tourette Syndrome, it was never a stop sign for me, it was always just a little bump in the road and I would just keep going. It wasn’t going to stop me from achieving my dreams. I try and tell all the kids that I meet that hope to be amazing one day and be a professional athlete or a doctor, or a lawyer, or whatever they want to be. I tell them they can do all that because Tourette’s won’t stop them. If I can inspire a kid who plays goalkeeper, or who plays soccer, or who has Tourette’s, then I feel like it’s all worth it, and I think those are the days that make me feel the best. Winning is fun, but those moments that you can touch someone’s life in a very positive way are better