Bay FC is making ready to debut for its second season within the Nationwide Girls’s Soccer League below investigation for having a “toxic” work surroundings below coach Albertin Montoya.
NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman confirmed the investigation Friday throughout a press convention prematurely of a season-opening Problem Cup match.
“A review is underway by an independent third party, and we’re very confident that the system we have in place will ensure that we surface the issues that need to be addressed, and that we’ll continue to work with all of our clubs, our technical staff and our players to make sure that we’re achieving our goal of creating a safe, healthy working environment,” Berman mentioned.
Bay FC’s first season included some rising pains because it misplaced seven of its first 9 matches after which gained three of 5, solely to have common supervisor Lucy Rushton resign abruptly on June 24. Matt Potter took the job on an interim foundation and stays the overall supervisor.
Based on a San Francisco Chronicle report, Montoya, employed in 2024 as Bay FC’s first head coach, was named in two formal complaints of “bullying,” with an unnamed participant saying, “We begged and pleaded for help and change, and it never came.”
A workforce assertion mentioned Bay FC was “working closely with the league to review and take appropriate steps” primarily based on findings of an end-of-season survey associated to communication challenges, and that Bay FC’s rankings amongst golf equipment in that space went from 11 out of 14 to six out of 14 by the tip of the season.
“We were founded as a player-centric club, and we will do everything we need to make sure we have a supportive environment for our players,” the workforce assertion mentioned.
Berman confused that the investigation itself doesn’t impugn Montoya or Bay FC.
“You want to facilitate an environment where people can come forward without a predetermined conclusion that it means that there’s been a violation, that there’s going to be discipline,” Berman mentioned. “Once you have an environment where people come forward and think that’s the assumption, it actually deters people from raising proactive concerns.”
5 coaches, together with North Carolina’s Paul Riley, had been both fired or resigned that yr amid claims of misconduct.
In consequence, the NWSL applied modifications to guard gamers, together with enhanced vetting of membership workers and an nameless tipline for gamers. The NWSL Gamers Affiliation additionally negotiated safeguards within the collective bargaining settlement with the league.
These cases predated Bay FC’s 2024 entry into the NWSL, which has been in existence since 2013. Nonetheless, final week Bay FC accepted the resignation of scouting director Graeme Abel, who was accused in 2024 by former gamers on the College of Oregon of verbal abuse, then was employed by Bay in February.
In its first yr of competitors, Bay FC completed 11-1-14 with 34 factors within the standings to safe the seventh of eight playoff spots. A commerce for U.S. World Cup-winning defender Abby Dahlkemper, a former Bay Space youth participant below Montoya, helped solidify the protection on the playoff push.
Bay FC was eradicated in its playoff opener 2-1 on the street towards the Washington Spirit, which ultimately misplaced the title recreation 1-0 to the Orlando Spirit.
Bay FC opens its season on March 15 at Utah Royals FC, with the house opener slated for March 22 towards Racing Louisville FC at PayPal Park.
The membership is anticipating 20 of the 30 gamers who had been on the roster in some unspecified time in the future in 2024 returning to be on this yr’s opening day roster. Former No. 2 total choose Savy King was traded to Angel Metropolis final month after requesting a deal and final yr’s beginning keeper, Katelyn Rowland introduced her retirement throughout coaching camp.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
