Sam Laity announced as Houston Dash's new coach
- by Arlo Moore-Bloom @ArloMBloom, Dec 22, 2022
Sam Laity, an assistant coach at Ol Reign since 2013, is Houston Dash’s new coach and fourth in team history. Besides a short stint as the Reign’s interim coach in 2021, it is the first head coaching job for the Plymouth, England, native.
"I am excited about joining Houston Dash,” said the 46-year-old. “The values between the upper management and the coaching staff have to be aligned for the two of us to be successful and that is one of the things that drew me in.”
The Dash has not had a long-term head coach since then-GM and head coach James Clarkson was suspended on April 26 following the conclusion of an investigation into alleged violations of the NWSL Policy to Prevent and Eliminate Workplace Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying.
At that time, Clarkson’s first assistant coach, Sarah Lowdon, took over as acting head coach for three months until Spaniard Juan Carlos Amorós took over in mid-July following visa issues.
Amoros steered the Dash to its first NWSL playoff appearance after finishing fourth in the regular season, but left in November for the head coaching job at Gotham FC.
Dash GM Alex Singer described Laity as a “player’s coach with the respect and trust of players, staff, and stakeholders across our league and sport:
"[Laity] has seen the ups and downs through the evolution of the NWSL and knows what it takes to be successful. His deep knowledge of this league is an invaluable asset but most importantly, his values align with the culture we want to build and the competitive product we want to see on the field."
