Inside the mind of NWSL coach of the year Bev Yanez
From U.S. Soccer Podcast by US Soccer | Cumulus Podcast Network
February 18, 2026 · 59 min · Season 1 · Episode 36
About this episode
The episode features an interview with NWSL Coach of the Year Bev Yanez discussing her coaching philosophy and experiences.
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…
People in this episode
Host: Meghan Klingenberg
Guest: Bev Yanez
Topics covered
- NWSL
- coaching
- soccer
- player transition
- MLS season
- team dynamics
Keywords
- Bev Yanez
- NWSL Coach of the Year
- Racing Louisville
- soccer coaching
- MLS season preview
Sponsors
Henkel, O’Reilly Auto Parts
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Racing Louisville, U.S. Soccer Podcast
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