Inside the mind of NWSL coach of the year Bev Yanez

As a player, Bev Yanez was a force. The forward represented teams in Finland, Japan and was a two-time NWSL Shield winner with the Seattle Reign. After Bev’s playing career ended, she started coaching – first as an assistant before stepping up to become Racing Louisville’s head coach in 2023, and it was here that she really made her mark. Last year, Bev led the team to their first ever playoff appearance – an accomplishment that saw her named NWSL Coach of the Year.  In this episode of the U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel, host Meghan Klingenberg discusses Bev’s transition from playing to coaching, her philosophy, how she handles difficult conversations with players, and her ambitions for the future.  But that’s not all! Kling also checks in with co-host and Philadelphia Union captain Ale Bedoya to talk about the upcoming MLS season.     2:35 – Kling interviews Bev Yanez  6:05 – Bev talks about her experience playing in Japan  13:47 – Philosophy and team dynamics  25:36 – How Bev handles tricky conversations with players  34:48 – Bev describes the turning point for the team last season  39:27 – Bev talks about her ultimate coaching ambitions  42:20 – Kling catches up with Ale Bedoya and previews the 2026 MLS season  51:32 – Ask the Pros presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts    The U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel is a production from U.S. Soccer hosted by David Gass, former USWNT star Meghan Klingenberg and USMNT great Alejandro Bedoya. The podcast brings you in-depth interviews with U.S. Soccer stars of the past, present and future. Episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays.  Hosts: Meghan Klingenberg, Ale Bedoya  Guest: Bev Yanez  Producer: Matthew Nelson  To learn more, visit http://www.ussoccer.com/podcast  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices