Red Stars assistant coach Scott Parkinson will take over Gotham FC

Red Stars assistant coach Scott Parkinson has been tapped to take over as head coach of Gotham FC, both teams announced today.

The position became available after Gotham’s former head coach, Freya Coombe was hired by Angel City FC as its first head coach last week. Coombe’s final game with Gotham was Sunday. After losing to the Orlando Pride 1-0 in that match, Coombe and her former players spent some of their last moments on the field together hugging and saying their goodbyes.

Parkinson became Rory Dames lead assistant in 2020 after two seasons with Utah Royals FC as Laura Harvey’s lead assistant. Before coaching under Harvey, Parkinson was the head coach for Rogers State University’s women’s soccer team for two seasons. In 2017 he earned Heartland Conference coach of the year.

“The first thing I said to him is you changed my life for the better,” Red Stars midfielder Sarah Woldmoe said. “Being a great person bleeds into the way that he coaches. I know he’s going to continue to do great things as a coach.”

The Red Stars play Gotham FC on Saturday and Parkinson won’t be available to coach for either side.