The Houston Dash have hired longtime OL Reign assistant coach Sam Laity as their new head coach, the team announced Wednesday.

The 46-year-old Englishman had coached for OL Reign since the NWSL’s inaugural season in 2013, and he served as the club’s interim head coach for six games in 2021.

“He is a players’ coach with the respect and trust of players, staff, and stakeholders across our league and sport,” Dash general manager Alex Singer said. “He has seen the ups and downs through the evolution of the NWSL and knows what it takes to be successful.”

Laity becomes the fourth head coach in Dash history, and he follows two coaches who were implicated in the the NWSL and NWSLPA investigation into “widespread misconduct” in the league.

The club elected not to renew the contract of former head coach and general manager James Clarkson in the aftermath of the investigation. The findings, released earlier this month, found that he created a culture of “anxiety and fear” within the Dash locker room.

Interviews with 26 current and former Dash players and staff members painted a picture of the coach as “volatile, verbally abusive, and as not showing appropriate regard for players’ wellbeing,” per the report.

Clarkson, who was hired ahead of the 2019 season, was suspended in April as a result of the investigation, and his contract was set to expire at the end of the year.

He had stepped into the head coaching position vacated by Vera Pauw, who led the Dash in 2018 but stepped down after one season. She weight-shamed players and “attempted to exert excessive control over their eating habits,” per the report.

James Clarkson will no longer work for the Houston Dash following the release of the NWSL and NWSLPA’s report on “widespread misconduct” in the league.

The coach and general manager was suspended in April based on initial findings from the investigation, though the club provided few details. The Dash announced Wednesday that they will not renew his contract, which is set to expire at the end of the year.

“Any further recommended corrective action will be at the direction of the NWSL Office of the Commissioner,” the Dash wrote. The team also apologized to any players who experienced misconduct by Clarkson.

A total of 26 current and former Dash players and staff members were interviewed as part of the investigation, and they painted a picture of Clarkson as “volatile, verbally abusive, and as not showing appropriate regard for players’ wellbeing,” per the report.

Clarkson, who was hired as the Houston coach ahead of the 2019 season, “communicated with players in a manner that created anxiety and fear,” the report states. He targeted players with “excessive and unjustified criticism,” players said, and his mood was “unpredictable.”

Players said he “created a culture of anxiety,” and two players said they sought therapy as a result of his conduct.

Players also took issue with the way Clarkson and the club handled a complaint of racial discrimination by stadium security.

Sarah Gorden, a Black player, said her boyfriend was mistreated by stadium security, particularly in comparison to the family and friends of white players. The NWSL investigated the incident but did not take disciplinary action.

Before the investigation concluded, Clarkson told players to apologize to stadium security for their conduct.

“Some players and club staff explained that the apology was requested because players had violated COVID-19 protocols in the stands,” the report states. “But some players and club staff described that Clarkson seemed to defend stadium security, and players and club staff expressed disappointment at Clarkson’s and the club’s failure to attempt to understand the Black players’ perspective.”

Other players and staff members approved of his handling of the situation and said he later “apologized if he had appeared insensitive.”

For those who wanted to report Clarkson for misconduct, avenues were limited, Dash players told the investigative team, as they described Clarkson and club president John Walker as “best friends.”

“This perceived close relationship led players to feel like they had no avenues to report their concerns and that no one was monitoring Clarkson’s conduct to ensure that it was appropriate,” the report states.

While “a majority of players expressed the view that Clarkson’s treatment of players did not rise to the level of abuse or misconduct,” the investigative team disagreed, concluding that Clarkson’s actions “constituted emotional misconduct.”

The Houston Dash will not renew the contract of head coach and general manager James Clarkson as fallout begins from the NWSL and NWSLPA report into misconduct in the league.

Also in the aftermath of the report’s release Wednesday afternoon, the Kansas City Current revealed that Huw Williams is no longer employed by the team.

The joint investigation by the league and its players association revealed “widespread misconduct” against players, which occurred “at the vast majority of NWSL clubs” and throughout the league’s 10-year history.

Clarkson, who was suspended in April as a result of the investigation, created a culture of “anxiety and fear” within the Dash locker room, the investigative team found. In one instance, Clarkson berated the team because he thought several players went out drinking the night before an exhibition game.

His contract was set to expire at the end of the year, and the Dash will not bring him back as coach.

“Our vision of building and maintaining a culture of excellence on and off the pitch starts with cultivating a respectful and healthy working environment,” the club said in a statement. “Our priority is to ensure that our personnel and policies reflect that directive.”

In the statement, the Dash apologize to players for the misconduct by Clarkson and former coach Vera Pauw. Pauw, who was dismissed by the Dash in 2018, attempted to “exert excessive control” over players’ eating habits, per the report.

The Current parted ways with Williams in November, though the club has not yet released a statement.

Players expressed concerns to team leadership about Williams’ “unprofessional and demeaning communication style” during the 2021 season.

Current owners Angie and Chris Long told Williams about the meeting with players, and they also “identified to him specific players who organized the meeting, although he did not know all the players who participated,” the report reads.

He was removed as coach at the end of the 2021 season but moved to a front office role.

“One takeaway from this whole process is that reshuffling people who commit misconduct is not the way forward to a safe future,” NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

Juan Carlos Amorós has been named the head coach for NJ/NY Gotham FC, the club announced Tuesday.

“I cannot wait to get started and show our fans what Gotham FC will be, and I’m determined to lead this club to become a global destination in the football world,” Amorós said in a statement.

Amorós had served as interim head coach of the Houston Dash during the 2022 season. But the Dash announced Friday that Amorós had “elected to pursue other opportunities” and would be leaving Houston.

The Dash attempted to keep Amorós, but he chose to accept the Gotham FC offer, The Striker reported Saturday.

Amorós took over as interim coach for the Dash in July. He became the first head coach in NWSL history to win his first three league matches.

The club closed the regular season on a 6-3-2 (W-L-D) run under Amorós. The Dash ended the season in fourth in the league standings, their highest-ever finish, and made their first playoff appearance.

Houston also set a record for home attendance during the 2022 season.

Gotham, meanwhile, finished last in the league while scoring the fewest goals. Amid a 12-game losing streak, the team parted ways with head coach Scott Parkinson.

“Juan Carlos is an experienced and ambitious coach who is highly respected by players for his tactical knowledge and leadership,” Gotham FC general manager Yael Averbuch West said in a statement. “He shares a strong belief in our vision for Gotham FC, and we are very excited to bring him to NJ/NY.”

It was a “Holy Schmidt” kind of moment. Literally.

Connecting on a one-timed, left-footed volley off a corner kick at the back post, Sophie Schmidt blasted the ball into the back of Kansas City’s net to score the equalizer for the Houston Dash in their NWSL quarterfinal match at PNC Stadium on Sunday.

1-1.

It was Houston’s first playoff goal, in their first playoff game and in front of the largest crowd in Dash franchise history. In fact, the 21,284 fans in attendance marked the second-biggest crowd for women’s professional soccer in the state of Texas.

The goal came less than 20 minutes after Kansas City’s Lo’eau Labonta buried the game opener from the penalty spot in the fifth minute.

Schmidt admitted after the match, which Houston ended up losing 2-1 in the final minute of stoppage time, that she was supposed to be a part of the group of players in the six-yard box crashing toward goal to receive the corner, but she had a gut feeling the ball would get knocked further. So, she held her run.

Kansas City goalkeeper AD Franch got a hand on the ball, but it fell to Schmidt. What transpired from there felt like slow motion.

“It was bizarre,” the three-time Olympic medalist said. “I was like, ‘Heeere I comeee,’ and I was like, ‘Left-footed volley, don’t hit it over.’ So that was the process in my brain. I was like, ‘Ohhh,’ but as soon as it left my foot, I was like, ‘I hit that well,’ and then it just took a little ricochet and then and I was like, ‘Oh, this is amazing.’”

The goal was the highlight of an impressive performance by Schmidt, a double-sided six who started dangerous attacks while also making key interceptions in Houston’s defensive third. The game exemplified the form the Canadian has shown all year as one of the Dash’s most reliable players.

On Just Women’s Sports’ shortlist of 2022 NWSL MVP nominees, Schmidt, who originally joined the NWSL in 2013 with Sky Blue FC, came into the quarterfinal with a career-high four goals and an assist from the regular season.

“I think Sophie, obviously I’ve said already in a few interviews, should be a candidate for the MVP of the league,” said Dash interim head coach Juan Carlos Amorós.

Midfielder Marisa Viggiano describes her teammate as world-class.

“I think she’s totally proved that this season and definitely should be up there in MVPs,” she said. “That’s Sophie. She’s going to put her head down and go to work everyday no matter what, for the good of the team. I can’t speak more highly of her.”

Just last year, Schmidt was excluded from Canadian national team coach Bev Priestman’s original 18-player roster for the Tokyo Olympics. Listed as an alternate instead, she ended up on the team only when Olympic roster sizes expanded to 22 players. Even then, Schmidt was limited to playing one game in Tokyo.

“I think taking the news that I was going to be an alternate to the Olympics was probably the hardest hitting thing I’ve ever heard,” she reflected on Sunday.

The news shocked the rest of Canada, too. With over 200 caps at the time, Schmidt had been a big part of Canada’s two bronze medals in 2012 and 2016.

At 33 years old, Schmidt took a step back and asked herself if she wanted to continue playing. If so, she had to throw herself into it wholeheartedly. She figured she had only a few years left, and no room for regrets.

But at the beginning of the 2022 season, Schmidt’s impact in the midfield was in doubt. James Clarkson, who was suspended as head coach in April at the recommendation of the NWSL and NWSLPA’s joint investigation into discrimination and abusive behavior, was considering playing her at center back instead.

“I think, because my role and opportunities were questioned, it made me very focused in, and I think also I became more free on the field somehow,” Schmidt said. “I feel like I’m playing my best soccer in this moment. I feel alive on the field.”

Schmidt ended up starting all 18 of the games she appeared in for the Dash this season. Amorós praises the midfielder’s ability to organize play, drive into the final third and defend opposing attacks.

“She’s instrumental in the way we do things,” Amorós said. “She’s worked so well and for me, it’s a pleasure to have someone like Sophie on my team.”

Schmidt helped lead the Dash to their winningest season in the team’s nine-year history. They earned a franchise-record 10 victories, including a league-high seven road wins. And despite playing two fewer games than in five of their previous seven regular seasons, the Dash still managed to set a club record with 36 total points.

As Dash players answered questions from the media after Sunday’s heartbreaking quarterfinal loss, they took time to reflect on their special season and the possibilities ahead, with Schmidt’s lesson in resilience guiding the way.

“Playing with Sophie this year has been probably one of the greatest moments of my career,” Viggiano said. “I look up to her in so many ways, not only as a player but as a person. I think she has really allowed me to play a little bit more free.”

Jessa Braun is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports covering the NWSL and USWNT. Follow her on Twitter @jessabraun.

The Houston Dash reached more than one milestone Sunday, attracting their biggest-ever crowd during their first-ever playoff match.

With an announced sellout of 21,284, the Dash posted the largest crowd in a NWSL playoff match ever. It’s also the second-largest women’s soccer crowd in Texas history behind the USWNT and Mexico facing off in 2003.

The Dash earned the No. 4 seed in the NWSL postseason, which meant their first playoff game in club history came in front of a very friendly crowd.

“Very cool we are playing at home,” goalkeeper Jane Campbell said ahead of the contest. “That’s amazing, one that we don’t travel at all and most importantly that we get to play in front of our fans. The fans get to be a part of this historic year and we need every one of them cheering.”

The Dash announced several days ahead of the match against the Kansas City Current that they had sold than 17,000 tickets – which put them on track for their attendance record, and for the third-largest crowd in NWSL postseason history.

In the lead-up to Sunday, club president Jessica O’Neill said the team was targeting a sellout. Capacity for PNC Bank Stadium sits at 21,500.

“Absolutely,” O’Neill told The Striker of her confidence in the team’s abilities to pack the stadium. “We have no doubt Houston will show up for the Dash on Oct. 16, and we know the biggest Dash match in team history is a can’t-miss event.”

The club’s home attendance record stood at 13,025 before Sunday. That record was set back in July 2015 against the Chicago Red Stars. But the 2022 season has been a big one in Houston, with many more people turning out for the team than in 2021.

“We’ve seen a 60% increase in average attendance from 2021 to 2022,” O’Neill said. “There is significantly more work to be done to ensure a packed stadium becomes the norm but this progress is a step in the right direction.”

And just like that, after five chaotic months of regular-season action, it’s time for the NWSL playoffs.

The 2022 postseason kicks off Sunday, starting with the Houston Dash hosting the Kansas City Current at 5 p.m. ET at PNC Stadium in front of the largest crowd in Dash history – more than 14,000 fans. The Chicago Red Stars and San Diego Wave follow at 10 p.m. ET at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium.

The winner of the first game plays this season’s Shield winners, OL Reign, in the semifinal round on Oct. 23, while the winner of the second plays the No. 2 Portland Thorns on the same day.

With five of the six playoff teams finishing the regular season within four points of each other, anything can happen on the road to the championship. While we wait in the calm before the storm, here’s a quick look at each quarterfinal matchup.

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(Amy Kontras/USA TODAY Sports)

No. 4 Houston Dash vs. No. 5 Kansas City Current

Dash (10-6-6, GD: +8)

  • This is Houston’s first playoff appearance in franchise history.
  • The Dash rank second in the league, behind just the Reign, in possessions won in the final third.
  • Houston scored two goals or more in nine of their 10 wins during regular season.

Current (10-6-6, GD: 0)

  • This is Kansas City’s first playoff appearance, and the first by a Kansas City club since FC Kansas City made the postseason in 2015.
  • The Current went on a 13-game undefeated streak this season after not recording a win in their first five matches.
  • The Current rank first in the NWSL in penalties awarded (seven).

Evenly matched with identical records in the regular season, the Dash and the Current are about to play an unpredictable game.

Each team had a win in their two previous meetings this season, with Houston taking a 2-0 result the first time around and Kansas City getting revenge with a 2-1 victory. The Current won both games the teams played against each other in the 2022 Challenge Cup.

The Current have built a strong attack led by Lo’eau Labonta, Cece Kizer and Hailie Mace, and they are backed by one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the league in AD Franch.

But will they stick to their 3-5-2 formation against Houston’s potent offense? The Dash are arguably more lethal than the Current, with Ebony Salmon, María Sánchez and Nichelle Prince leading the way.

Kansas City’s three-defender lineup could run into trouble against a scoring machine like Houston, who rank second among the playoff teams in goals (35). And the Current will be without defensive midfielder Desiree Scott, who received two yellow cards in Kansas City’s last game against Racing Louisville and therefore has to sit out the first-round match.

Prediction: Kansas City. The odds may not feel like they’re in the Current’s favor. But they didn’t feel like that at the beginning of the season either, when Kansas City went without a win in its first five games — then proceeded to record a 13-game unbeaten streak.

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(Kelvin Kuo/USA TODAY Sports)

No. 3 San Diego Wave FC vs. No. 6 Chicago Red Stars

Wave (10-6-6, GD: +11)

  • San Diego is the first NWSL expansion team to reach the playoffs in its first season.
  • The Wave rank first in the league in clean sheets with nine.
  • The Wave get to host the match at their home field, Snapdragon Stadium, where they broke the NWSL single-game attendance record in September with a sold-out crowd of 32,000 fans.

Red Stars (9-7-6, GD: +6)

  • This marks Chicago’s seventh straight year in the playoffs.
  • The Red Stars rank third in the league in possession with an average of 52 percent.
  • Their longest unbeaten streak this season was nine games.

San Diego has more reason for confidence going into this match. The Wave came out on top in both of their games against the Red Stars during regular season, winning 2-1 and 1-0. In addition to a strong starting lineup, the Wave have game changers off the bench who can and have made a direct impact on the scoresheet.

Still, the Red Stars have developed a chemistry that could push through San Diego’s steady defense, especially with their deadly weapon Mallory Pugh. Her abilities, from goal scoring to dribbling to tackling, enable her to dictate games better than any player in the NWSL.

Prediction: San Diego. The Wave won both their previous games against the Red Stars and will win a third at home in front of an electric Snapdragon Stadium audience.

Former Houston Dash goalkeeper Haley Carter called out the club on Saturday for their silence in the wake of the U.S. Soccer report released Monday that detailed Sally Yates’ findings of abuse in the NWSL.

Dash head coach and general manager James Clarkson was suspended at the end of April on a recommendation by the NWSL and NWSL Players Association’s joint investigation into current and past complaints of discrimination, harassment and abuse. Those findings are expected to be released by the end of the year and provide a full picture of misconduct since the NWSL’s inception in 2013.

“I’m just going to say it,” Carter, who played for the Dash from 2013-16, wrote in her tweet. “As a former Houston Dash player, I’m disappointed the club still hasn’t issued a statement following the Yates report. In the club’s history, one head coach has been formally investigated and another didn’t have her one-year contract renewed.”

She added to the thread, “To not make a statement, to not publicly acknowledge one’s own role in perpetuating systemic breakdowns in processes and accountability is just incredibly disappointing.”

The Orlando Pride, whose head coach Amanda Cromwell and first assistant coach Sam Greene were placed on temporary administrative leave in June, have similarly yet to release a statement on Yates’ report.

The 2022 NWSL regular season has come to a close, with six clubs punching their tickets to the postseason.

The NWSL playoffs kick off on Oct. 16. The league’s top two teams earned byes, while the remaining four clubs face off in the first round for the two other spots in the semifinals.

NWSL playoff seeds

1. OL Reign

OL Reign punched their ticket to the postseason with a 2-0 win over the Houston Dash on Sept. 24.

“I don’t think it was very pretty at times but to win on the road in this league, sometimes it is that way,” OL Reign coach Laura Harvey said after her team’s playoff-clinching win. “To get nine points on this three-game road trip just says a lot about this group of players and their mentality. They showed again tonight just how much they are willing to give to try to get somewhere this season.”

OL Reign capped off an impressive regular season, clinching the NWSL Shield following an emphatic 3-0 win over the Orlando Pride. The Seattle club’s No. 1 seed earns OL Reign a first-round bye and home-field advantage for their semifinal matchup.

2. Portland Thorns

With a 3-0 win over Racing Louisville on Sept. 21, the Portland Thorns became the first team to clinch a spot in the NWSL playoffs.

Portland fell to second in the standings following a 3-3 draw with Gotham FC in the club’s season finale, leaving the door open for OL Reign to claim the NWSL Shield. The Thorns, despite losing the Shield, salvaged a second-place finish to clinch a first-round bye and a home semifinal.

3. San Diego Wave FC

San Diego made history, becoming the first expansion club in NWSL history to clinch a playoff spot in its inaugural season with its 2-2 draw against Orlando.

“We’re in mixed emotions at the moment,” Wave coach Casey Stoney said following the draw. “I had to remind the team the point took us to the playoffs. We set such high standards and we want to maintain such high standards that, to come in here and perform like that and not get all three points is the disappointment. I’m sure when the dust has settled and we get back to San Diego and we reflect on what we’ve been able to do, I’m sure there’ll be a moment of pride.

“But I have to be extremely proud of how far we’ve come in a short space of time.”

4. Houston Dash

The Houston Dash clinched its first NWSL playoff berth in club history, locking up its postseason spot behind the San Diego Wave’s Sept. 30 scoreless draw with the North Carolina Courage.

“These players have left everything day in and day out, believing in the staff, in order to create unforgettable memories for our fans and make the city of Houston proud,” Houston Dash interim head coach Juan Carlos Amoros said in a Twitter post following the news.

The Dash have been dominant on the road all year, logging seven away victories to secure a gritty 10-6-6 regular-season record.

5. Kansas City Current

With a 3-0 win over the Washington Spirit on Sept. 25, the Kansas City Current clinched their spot in the NWSL playoffs.

It’s a huge turnaround for the club, which finished last in the NWSL standings a year ago and is now headed to the postseason for the first time in franchise history.

6. Chicago Red Stars

The Chicago Red Stars clinched the sixth and final playoff spot in the last matchup of the NWSL regular season.

Chicago downed Angel City FC 2-0 to move on point clear of the North Carolina Courage in the standings, to secure a postseason spot for the seventh straight year.

NWSL playoff schedule

Sunday, Oct. 16

  • No. 4 Houston Dash vs. No. 5 Kansas City Current, 5 p.m. ET on Paramount+
  • No. 3 San Diego Wave vs. No. 6 Chicago Red Stars, 10 p.m. on CBS Sports Network

Sunday, Oct. 23

  • No. 2 Portland Thorns vs. Winner of Wave/Red Stars, 5 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network
  • No. 1 OL Reign vs. Winner of Dash/Current, 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network

Sunday, Oct 29 

  • NWSL Championship, 8 p.m. ET on CBS

The Houston Dash are heading to the postseason, with the club clinching its first-ever playoff berth behind the San Diego Wave and North Carolina Courage’s Friday night draw.

“We are absolutely thrilled to clinch our spot in the 2022 playoffs,” Houston Dash president Jessica O’Neill said in a statement. “Beyond the undeniable talent of this team, there is an abundance of resilience, character and grit. The Dash embody the spirit of Houston, a city full of energy and personality. We are honored to hold it down for H-Town in our quest for greatness.”

Houston’s 9-6-6 regular season has been buoyed by a dominant showing from Ebony Salmon, who has logged nine goals since being traded to the team from Racing Louisville in June.

A staggering six of the club’s nine wins have come on the road, which may help the Dash, who will likely travel for their first playoff meeting.

Friday’s scoreless draw between the Wave and Courage had other playoff implications as well, with Angel City almost certainly mathematically eliminated from postseason contention and San Diego officially out of the NWSL Shield race.

All eyes will be on Chicago’s Sunday night matchup against ACFC, with the Red Stars able to clinch a playoff spot with a win. If Chicago registers a draw or a loss, North Carolina advances to the postseason.

Kick-off between the Red Stars and Angel City is set for Sunday at 6 pm ET on Paramount+.