Former Marine, addict, found calling as wrestling coach

Photo: Jacob “JJ” Howland.

Editor’s Note: This article appeared in WIN’s Volume 32 Issue 2, which printed on Oct. 31, 2025. 

By John Klessinger

Jacob “JJ” Howland was living in Key West, Florida, when he realized something that would change his life. After years of struggle with addiction, JJ saw firsthand the devastating effects of drugs and alcohol. “Moving to Key West (2020) was the best thing I’ve ever done. I was clean from drugs before moving there. But seeing what alcohol and drugs were doing to people helped me stop drinking entirely,” Howland said.

Following a brief stint at Old Dominion University, Howland joined the Marine Corps in 2006. He served nearly five years in the Corps as a Radio Reconnaissance and Signals Intelligence Marine, including a nine-month deployment in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

When his Marine Corps contract expired, Howland decided not to reenlist. “I had a tough time dealing with being a civilian after leaving the Marines,” Howland said. “School wasn’t my thing. I wasn’t in a rush to figure things out. I got a job at a bar working as security and bartending,” he added.

The nature of the bar scene and Howland’s difficulty making the adjustment back to being a civilian made him an easy target for addiction. “The longer I worked in bars, I drank and used drugs more,” Howland said. It was a pattern that lasted for nearly six years and led him to homelessness.

“I tried to get my act together but never dealt with the mental aspects of leaving the military,” Howland said. He bounced around, working at bars and jewelry stores. In 2017, he ended up in the hospital. His dad, Jim, a pastor and retired police officer, and his mom, Donna, came to the hospital not knowing about Howland’s substance-abuse problems.

Howland wasn’t asking for help, but he realized he couldn’t get through it on his own. “I realized I needed help. I went to therapy. My mindset changed,” he said.

Currently, Howland has over a million social media followers. His page, “JJhowland,” offers free instruction in wrestling techniques and motivational content. Motivational is an understatement. Some of the topics Howland talks about are potentially life-changing. He doesn’t shy away from tough conversations. “I owned my mistakes and have forgiven myself. I am finally free. There is nothing anyone could say that I haven’t already said to myself,” Howland stated.

Born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Howland wrestled in high school for Kempsville and Granby System Hall of Fame wrestling coach Keith Lowrance. His dad and uncle, Donald Howland, wrestled at Churchland High School in Virginia. Howland’s mom, Donna, went to the legendary Granby High School. His brother Zac and Josh were Kempsville wrestlers.

Wrestling was part of the Howland lineage. JJ was a two-time district champion and a two-time Virginia state qualifier. He followed in the footsteps of Zac and Josh, who were district champions before him. His high school career, while successful, wasn’t as he had anticipated. After being nationally ranked his senior year, he had no interest in wrestling in college when the season ended. But the lessons he learned from wrestling would later become a catalyst for battling addiction and then became his vehicle to help others.

Howland left Key West and moved to Atlanta in 2022. While in Atlanta, he started wrestling again. He attended some clubs in the area. Howland didn’t like the “outrageous” fees. “The wrestling in Georgia wasn’t the same as Coach Lowrance’s. They were overcharging parents. It turned me off, and I decided I could fix this problem,” remembered Howland.

With a renewed passion for wrestling and a different perspective on life, Howland started his own club. “I saw a lot of corruption with how things were being run. I wanted to do things a different way that would help kids and families have accessible training and opportunities without politics,” Howland said.

Quickly, his club took off. He was having kids place in high-level tournaments around the country. Howland put clinics on for free. With little advertisement, more than a hundred kids from multiple states were attending. Howland has remained steadfast in charging wrestlers minimal fees. “My goal has always been to charge as little as possible without having financial burdens,” emphasized Howland.

Then, Howland had a wrestler at his club who was struggling. It hit him hard. His focus on having the best club in Georgia no longer mattered to him. The situation was a reminder of his own past struggles. “At the end of the day, I want to help everyone,” he said.

As his social media presence has grown rapidly, Howland’s mission has evolved. Using his social media platform, he wants to direct more of his focus on helping people like him — service members struggling with addiction. He took his club and merged it with American Top Team, where he remains a coach.

Since last February, Howland has been in 42 cities giving wrestling clinics. He has used the business knowledge he learned while working in the bar industry. With the help of Keelon “Mugzy” Jimison, he is creating higher-quality social media content. In the process, he has gained sponsorship from 1st Phorm, Level Black, CH Gear, and Ranger Up. Howland is tireless in building his brand while helping as many people as he can using the lessons he has learned from wrestling and addiction.

Howland makes it a point to tell people that there’s much more to wrestling than winning. He knows sometimes the best wrestler doesn’t always win. But as he says, “everyone can relate to the pursuit of trying to win.” He encourages wrestlers to fight through struggle. Doing that will translate to all aspects of life. Howland also tells wrestlers to do one thing regularly, just for them.

Shortly after moving to Atlanta, he met his wife, Payton. The couple has two dogs. Lucy, a 200-pound Presa Canario, and Apollo, a 140-pound Rottweiler. “Everything I do in life is for them,” says Howland. “I am nobody special. Just a guy who loves putting out stuff on social media to help people,” he added. Howland downplays the impact he is making on people. He’s dealt with challenges most will never know. Now, he has made it his purpose to share his story. A story full of inspiration and lessons. One of hardships and struggles that has given rise to courage and triumph.

(John Klessinger is a teacher and wrestling coach at South River High School in Maryland. You can follow him on Instagram @coachkless and like his Facebook page “Coach Kless”.)