Thomas Clynch leads Hartford City FC’s effort to use soccer for social impact

It’s doubtful Nathan Hale ever appeared in a soccer club pitch deck before.

But the schoolteacher who, before his execution by the British in 1776 as America’s first spy said that he regretted having “but one life to lose” for his country, is Connecticut’s official state hero. And Hartford City – the NPSL team based a few miles from Hale’s home town of Coventry – has taken his words to heart.

They “captured the idealistic spirit of the revolutionary cause and created a powerful legacy of courage, sacrifice, and  honor,” the club says. “Hartford City Football Club always plays the game, represents our community, and supports our city like we only have One Life to Give.”

Actions speak louder than words, of course. And the club is acting on its motto. They’ve partnered with United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut to support their “Onward860: United to End Poverty” plan. (860 is the capital city’s area code.)

In what they call a “revolutionary partnership,” Hartford City FC’s matches and programs “will rally fans in support of Onward860 to address systemic inequities and promote real solutions for social progress in Greater Hartford.”

And — in keeping with the Revolutionary War theme, which united 13 disparate colonies — Hartford City officials believe the partnership with United Way can be replicated by other clubs. They’re already working with two, in neighboring Massachusetts.

Thomas Clynch — who holds a master’s in public administration from the University of Connecticut — is one of the leaders behind the campaign. A self-described “soccer gym class hero” who served three years as head coach of a small high school, is founder and “chief impact officer” of Civic Mind. The company works with Fortune 500 brands, non-profits and communities to “design solutions that inspire people to take action.” 

Clynch’s understanding of the impact that sports can make on a community was molded growing up surrounded by the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team, and the 1999 and 2000 UConn men’s national championship soccer squads. He also was influenced by the 1999 FIFA World Cup-winning US women’s national team, including Connecticut-born coach Tony DiCicco and star Kristine Lilly. 

He was mentored by Thom Meredith. The veteran soccer event manager encouraged Clynch to pursue his passion for using soccer for social good.

“While I started with the understanding of women’s soccer as the tip of the spear of social change, my experience in developing our local public stadium really radicalized the model and strategy,” Clynch says.

Using taxpayer funding to create or lure a minor league sports team is the wrong way to build community involvement, Clynch notes. He cites the example of an NWSL team that was ready to come to Hartford’s dilapidated Dillon Stadium. A group convinced city officials that a men’s USL team was a better choice, he says. The project was mired for years in lawsuits and controversy. Now called Trinity Health Stadium, it is the home of the USL Championship Hartford Athletic team.

“Soccer infrastructure and stadium developments have become political projects for ambitious politicians, and a vehicle for selfish capitalists to extract community wealth,” said Clynch. “The result is exploitation of urban communities, terrible soccer programs, and a soccer industry that’s effectively a house of cards, and just a war of attrition. Ironically, a capitalist orientation to the American soccer industry is the least profitable.”

Partnering with a non-profit is not new. Clynch cites FC Barcelona’s long relationship with UNICEF, providing sports, education and child protection initiatives in vulnerable communities. United Way itself is the front-of-jersey sponsor for the NWSL’s Kansas City Current. Fans can roundup purchases, while ticket and jersey sales help fund local programs.

“United Way offers clarity of purpose, structure and community engagement” all year long, Clynch says. “We want to work with them on projects like food drives. Our players serve as ambassadors, interns and volunteers with United Way. While we focus on the sporting side – who we are on the field – United Way allows us to be united around ending poverty in the area. They help organize us off the field.”

Just as United Way serves many constituencies, Hartford City is looking to broaden its reach too. They’ll launch a women’s team in 2027, and are organizing adult leagues, with over 80 teams, in co-ed, over-30, over-40, women’s and corporate divisions.

“A soccer club becomes the unifying representation of a community’s values and character,” Clynch says. The United Way’s focus on promoting access, opportunity and advancement for all aligns with the club’s values in ways that a partnership with a corporate sponsor would not.

It’s not quite giving your life for your country. But 250 years after Nathan Hale, Hartford City stands united for a common cause.

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