HOUSTON – The Houston Dash announced Sam Laity as the fourth head coach in team history Wednesday.
Laity will be formally introduced in a press conference at 11 a.m. at PNC Stadium. KPRC 2 will carry a livestream of the event.
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Laity has a decade-long career in the NWSL with the OL Reign, according to a news release. He coached in more than 200 NWSL regular season and playoff games during his tenure as an assistant coach at OL Reign and spent most of his career as the primary assistant under OL Reign head coach Laura Harvey.
Laity also served as an interim head coach during the 2021 season for six games and finished with a 4-2-0 (WLD) record.
“We are thrilled to welcome Sam and his family to Houston. From the first conversations I had with Sam, I knew he would be a great fit for the team, club, and city,” Dash general manager Alex Singer said. “As we went through the interview process, Sam stood out as the ideal candidate to lead the team. He is a players’ coach with the respect and trust of players, staff, and stakeholders across our league and sport. He 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.”
Laity also served as an assistant coach under current United States Women’s National Team head coach Vlatko Andonovski from 2017 to 2019 at Seattle Reign FC. From 2006 to 2011, Laity was an associate staff coach at United Soccer Coaches, where he led coach education and licensing.
“I am excited about joining Houston Dash, the things that I’ve experienced in the very short period of time since I’ve been in discussions with the club, have really filled with hope that this club is doing the right things that are necessary to not just be a competitive team,” Laity said. “The values between the upper management and the coaching staff have to be aligned for the for two of us to be successful and that is one of the things that drew me in.”