Bay FC officially introduced new head coach Emma Coates at a press conference in San Francisco earlier today. The event featured Coates and Bay Collective CEO Kay Cossington offering early insight into the club’s next chapter in the NWSL.
Cossington outlined the coaching search process: the organization’s priorities, key criteria and why Coates emerged as the ideal candidate. While excited about the club’s continued growth, she underscored her commitment to maximizing the current roster’s potential.
“We want to maximize the players that we have. We have some incredible people in the roster and we want to make sure we can get the best out of them too and they enjoy and flourish under the leadership of Emma,” Cossington said.
Coates shared her strategic priorities and vision for an attack-minded, unpredictable style of play rooted in problem-solving. Staff continuity is central to that approach. She emphasized the value of having Gemma Davies as assistant coach, citing their established partnership and shared leadership philosophy. Coates also noted that strong female representation in coaching carries particular significance in a women’s league.
On joining the NWSL, Coates expressed excitement about a league shaping the global game:
“You look at the NWSL and the growth of the women’s game, everything that’s happening over here I think is a super exciting thing to be part of because I think it really is shaping and driving top-tier women’s football around the world, and I just want to be part of that,” Coates said.
She outlined her ambitions for the club’s evolution and fan engagement:
“The thing I’m most excited about is taking the club to the next level, building on the identity that exists and putting in place a style of play that gets [the fans] on the edge of their seats, gets you excited to come down to PayPal Park, and hopefully puts us in a position to not just compete, but to win and sustain success at the top level.”
For a deeper look into Coates’ vision for Bay FC, watch the complete interview:
