Houston Dash announce new head coach

The Houston Dash have hired James Clarkson as their new head coach. Clarkson is the current Director of Project Development for the Houston Dynamo as well the head coach of the Dynamo’s Premier Development League affiliate Brazos Valley Bombers. Previously, he was the director of the Dynamo Academy.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity and to start working with this team in March. I think we have a fantastic core of players and we really have a strong squad,” Clarkson said in the announcement regarding his hire. “We will look to add to the current squad in order to really give us a chance to build on the foundation from last season and push forward in 2019.”

Clarkson had coordinated scrimmages between the Dash and Dynamo Academy teams during international breaks when he was in charge of the Academy. He also helped to organize the game between the Dash and Rayadas de Monterrey in the first NWSL -Liga MX Femenil scrimmage.

During the announcement Dash Managing Director Brian Ching shared that Clarkson was the first to submit his application when Vera Pauw departed the team.

Pauw, the team’s 2018 head coach, left at the conclusion of the season. They had finished the season with a 9-10-5 record. She took over after Randy Waldrum was fired mid-season in 2017 leaving Omar Morales as interim coach.

The club has yet to make the playoffs after joining the league in 2014.