The Houston Dash is a women’s soccer team in Houston, Texas, and they are a member of the National Women’s Soccer League since 2014. The Houston Dash plays their home games at the BBVA Stadium in Houston, Texas. In this article, we are going to know more about this dynamic women’s soccer team.
Establishment of the Houston Dash
In November 2013, the Houston Dynamo started to show their intention of having a top-flight women’s professional soccer franchise in Houston. After the week after the Dynamo announced their intention, their effort was strengthened when they began accepting refundable deposits for their potential National Women’s Soccer League expansion team. In just one month, the National Women’s Soccer League gave the Houston Dynamo as well as the city of Houston an expansion franchise.
On December 12, 2013, the Houston Dynamo, along with President Chris Canetti, said that they decided to name the club as the Houston Dash, and they would bear the same colors as the Dynamo, which are black, orange, and sky blue. The team’s crest has a soccer ball and the words “Houston Dash” with sky blue lines in the background. The name Dash denotes the fast running speed of a horse, a historical and iconic mode of transportation in Texas, especially during the 1800s.
Who Owns the Houston Dash?
The Houston Dash is under the same ownership as the Houston Dynamo. The ownership group includes Ben Guill, Jake Silverstein, Gabriel Brenner, and multiple World and Olympic boxing champions Oscar De La Hoya and NBA MVP and Houston Rockets player James Harden.
Brian Ching, who is a former Houston Dynamo player, was named as the Houston Dash’s managing editor. He was placed in charge of the day-to-day duties on both the team’s technical and business sides, and he was under the supervision of Chris Canetti.
In January 2014, Randy Waldrum was appointed as the Houston Dash’s first head coach. Waldrum previously coached the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s soccer team, and he was the one who led the team to two national titles in 1999.
In May 2017, the Houston Dash hired Vera Pauw as their new head coach. However, after a year, Pauw departed the club. In December 2018, James Clarkson was hired as the club’s new head coach.
Where do they Play their Home Games?
The Houston Dash plays its games at the BBVA Stadium. It opened in May 2012, and it can accommodate 22,039 people. During the Houston Dash’s inaugural season, 7,000 seats in the lower seating bowl are available for their home games. When the BBVA Stadium opened in 2012, it became the first soccer-specific stadium.
What is the National Women’s Soccer League?
The National Women’s Soccer League or the NWSL is a professional women’s soccer league under a management contract with the USSF or the United States Soccer Federation. The National Women’s Soccer League was established in 2012 as a replacement to the Women’s Professional Soccer. The league began in 2013, and back then, they had a total of eight teams and four of which used to be a member of the Women’s Professional Soccer.
