As the NWSL playoff race hits its two-game sprint, we revisit Bev Yanez—head coach of Racing Louisville and the only current NWSL coach who also played in the league. Her philosophy is clear: work rate, honesty, and sustained commitment to the group. From a coaching awakening in Japan’s brain-bending rondos to a midseason reset after a 4–1 home loss, Yanez explains how those moments shaped her leadership—and why Racing now carries her identity for 90-plus minutes.

Inside the episode

• How Racing built a hard-working team identity

• Why Japan “broke” her (and made her better)

• Leading a staff of former head coaches

• Trust, growth, and ownership in the locker room

• The (hypothetical) swear jar — and what it says about authenticity

On the record: Christina Unkel makes a bold call — Bev Yanez as a future USWNT head coach. Do you agree?

Chapters (mm:ss)

00:00 Cold open — proper English weather & hello again

00:40 Welcome — Christina & Lori re-introduce Bev

02:05 Fun fact — only NWSL HC who also played

03:38 Path to coaching — visibility, licenses, Japan spark

05:51 First months as HC — what you don’t see in the chair

07:49 Identity thread — work rate from player to coach

10:17 Box-to-box — effort as a throughline

15:07 Japan — the rondo shock

23:34 Playoff push — the 4–1 reset & principles

25:31 Calling card — “we work for 90-plus minutes”

27:33 Swear jar — authenticity with a bleep

32:49 Christina’s call — USWNT future

42:50 Outro — thanks & sign-off

Watch, listen, subscribe and follow

• All episodes on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SoccerishPodcast

• Show notes & clips (Substack) → https://www.soccerishpodcast.com/

• Shorts playlist → https://www.youtube.com/@SoccerishPodcast/shorts

• IG/TikTok/YouTube: @SoccerishPodcast

-Audio podcast https://pod.link/1786871720

Hosts

Christina Unkel (CBS/ITV rules analyst; FIFA referee) & Lori Lindsey (CBS/Amazon/Apple analyst; former USWNT)

Contact / bookings

[email protected] | Red Card Productions

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