Bay FC NWSL is eager to begin its new chapter after a sophomore season that carried the high of a knockout attendance record and the low of a 13th-place finish out of 14 teams in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The team has a new female managing duo in head coach Emma Coates and assistant Gemma Davies, a $1.1 million signing in 20-year-old U.S. women's national team midfielder Claire Hutton, and a young squad hungry for minutes and a chance to prove themselves on the global stage. There's only so much to glean from press conference talking points, but on paper, that just might be enough to give the glass a half-full appearance, even in the expanding chaos of the NWSL. 'I think last year we really came together as a team despite anything on the field,' said midfielder Hannah Bebar, who joined Bay FC last season. 'Personally, I just want to keep growing and learning from our experience and just try to keep adapting to this pace and this level.' A stronger bond is both understandable after the season Bay had last year and among the best possible outcomes. Then-coach Albertin Montoya, the club's first head coach, announced in September that he would step down from his position, but saw out the rest of the season with the team. Three months later, Bay FC replaced Montoya with Coates, who last coached the England U-23 national team. Bay FC's first match of the season — a meeting at home with expansion side Denver Summit on March 14 — will mark Coates' official start in the NWSL and a return to managing a professional club, which she has not done since coaching the Doncaster Rovers Belles in what was then the first division women's soccer in the U.K. a decade ago. The NWSL has proven a challenging league to adjust to for players and managers alike coming over from Europe, and for players with their eyes on the next two World Cups in 2027 and 2031 and the 2028 Olympics between them, they'd be forgiven for any hesitation around working with a first-time NWSL coach this season. But Bay FC players were anything but, as new players cited Coates and Davies as their reason to join the team, and returning players their reason to remain hopeful. 'What we're most excited about is for the group we have right now and for the team that we are, and just the expectations and clarity of what Emma is bringing to the group and coming in with such a clear idea in mind,' said midfielder Taylor Huff. The Florida State alum joined Bay FC last season and has been a key player for the team. She is looking forward to working with Coates and Davies and is excited about the team's prospects for the season.