Bay FC announced the hiring of the talented but unproven Emma Coates as head coach and the experienced Gemma Davies as her assistant coach to support her as the Bay Area soccer team looks to rebound from a dismal 2025 NWSL campaign.
Coates has been the head coach for the England U-23 side since 2023. Under her leadership, the youth side has nurtured and developed players while promoting 25 of them to England’s senior squad.
“Emma is not only an excellent coach, but she also has a proven track record of developing players to compete at the highest levels of both the domestic and international game,” said Kay Cossington, CEO of Bay Collective, which includes managing Bay FC.
Despite a lackluster season in 2025, Bay FC fans supported the team throughout, and the squad includes talented players Racheal Kundananji, Penelope Hawking, and rookie Taylor Huff to build around.
“This is a club that has already captured the hearts of so many people in the local community, and it’s a privilege to be part of that journey,” said Coates after the announcement.
The team’s press announcement emphasized Coates experience developing talent, suggesting that Bay FC will not make splashy signings this offseason but instead will focus on identifying and developing younger talent.
“Emma has consistently demonstrated an ability to bring players and teams to the next level with clarity, care, and purpose,” noted Cossington. “She understands what it takes to build environments where people thrive and perform at their best. Bay FC is gaining not only a great coach, but also someone that understands women’s football and our athletes inside and out.”
Although Coates has had success at the U-23 level, she has never coached a first division women’s team. To help fill that gap in her experience, Bay FC also announced the hiring of Davies as the club’s assistant coach, after she also served as Coates’ assistant with the U-23 team.
Davies was the head coach for Aston Villa Women Football Club from 2019 to 2021, where she helped keep the club in the W-League, the top level of pro soccer in England. She then served as an assistant for the U-19 and U-23 England sides.
“I’m thrilled to join Emma’s staff in creating an environment where players and staff can thrive, and supporters can be proud of the football we play,” said Davies.
The club said that further technical side additions will be announced in the near future.
