Overview:

Gotham FC announced on Thursday the launch of the Queens Coaching Council, a new community council that will help shape the club’s impact initiative focused on advancing female soccer coaches.

Nine members of the Queens Coaching Council. (Photo courtesy of Gotham FC)

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Gotham FC announced on Thursday the launch of the Queens Coaching Council, a new community council that will help shape the club’s impact initiative focused on advancing female soccer coaches.

The Queens Coaching Council, which has 12 members, will bring together established and emerging coaches, soccer leaders and community voices to share their experiences and expertise as Gotham FC develops an initiative designed to support female coaches. The resulting program is expected to be announced at the start of the 2027 National Women’s Soccer League season, which is set to kick off in February.

As Gotham FC prepares to make Queens its future home at the world-class Etihad Park, the council represents an early investment in the borough and a commitment to building alongside the community. Rather than beginning with a predetermined program, Gotham FC leaders will work with council members to identify needs and barriers facing female coaches – who account for five percent of registered soccer coaches worldwide, according to FIFA – and explore potential solutions and determine where the club can make the greatest impact.

“It’s important that we begin this effort by listening to and learning from the people who are already doing meaningful work in the community,” said Yael Averbuch West, the president of soccer operations at Gotham FC and a member of the new council. “We know we want to create more opportunities for women to coach, lead and grow in the game, but we also know we shouldn’t assume what that support needs to look like. The Queens Coaching Council gives us an opportunity to build those answers together and ultimately create something that responds to the needs of the people we hope to serve.”

The Council builds on Gotham’s work through Keep Her in the Game, which equips youth coaches with tools to create more supportive environments that help girls stay in soccer. Together, these efforts sit at the intersection of two commitments at the heart of Gotham’s social impact strategy: advancing women and expanding youth access to the game. By investing in coaches, Gotham aims to support women in leadership while strengthening the players, teams and communities they influence.

The Queens Coaching Council includes eight external community members alongside a small group of Gotham FC representatives. Council members were selected for the perspectives and lived experiences they bring across coaching, coach education, youth development and the Queens community. The Council’s design and implementation are supported by Charter Oak Impact, a firm that partners with athletes, teams and leagues to deliver a community impact.

Queens Coaching Council members:

Nadia Caballero Diaz, Technical Director, Zone 3 / Downtown United Soccer Club

Emily Campos, Deputy Director of Partnerships and Program Analysis, New York City

Amy Chui, Soccer Coach, City Parks Foundation / Young Leader, Festival 26

Nora Dooley, Impact Programs, U.S. Soccer Federation – Soccer Forward Foundations

Ximena Linton, Director, Soccer Program, City Parks Foundation / Former Player, NY Magic Reserves

Yanique Newman, Founder & Director, Unique Ballers FC / Head Coach, CCNY Women’s Soccer

Sue Ryan, Asst. Professor & Director, Advanced Graduate Certificate in Sports Coaching, Stony Brook University

Yasmine Sanchez, Queens-Based Grassroots Soccer Coach & Youth Leader

Yael Averbuch West, President of Soccer Operations, Gotham FC

Corinne Counsell, Senior Manager, Community & Social Impact, Gotham FC

Tory Faries, Social Impact Principal, Charter Oak Impact

Brian Walsh, Head of Youth Soccer, Gotham FC

The council will convene for five initial sessions from September through February. Alongside contributing to the development of Gotham’s future initiative, council members will have opportunities to build connections with one another and Gotham FC leaders, engage more deeply with the club and receive grant funding to advance work in their own communities.

Following the council’s initial five-month process, Gotham plans to announce the resulting coaching initiative leading into the 2027 season, with the goal of beginning locally in Queens and developing a model with the potential to expand across New York and the broader region over time.