SANFORD, Fla. — Two years ago, coaching wasn’t really on the radar of Orlando Pride midfielder Kristen Edmonds.
She had her offseason routine down, focusing on balancing her recovery while maintaining a thriving dog-walking business. But that changed one day as she was walking out of practice with Pride goalkeeper coach Lloyd Yaxley.
He asked Edmonds if she still planned to stay in town for the offseason; when she said yes, he invited her to join him as an assistant coach at Lake Highland Prep.
Two seasons and one run to the state semifinals later, coaching the high school squad has helped Edmonds find a new way to love soccer.
Being a high school coach stretches far beyond the pitch. It means managing bus rides, team dinners and bonding activities. Most importantly, high school coaches mentor and mold young athletes. As the assistant coach, Edmonds is often the first to pull players aside for one-on-one pep talks or motivation.
It’s a role that Yaxley says Edmonds stepped into naturally.
“It’s important, anytime that we can impact people’s lives with our actions or with conversations on any level,” Yaxley said in an interview before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the Pride’s preseason workouts. “It’s something that Kristen does really well, I think. The girls definitely look up to her.”
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Edmonds has now been Yaxley’s assistant coach for two seasons, but this year saw her stepping up into a new role. When Yaxley was called away to coach the U.S. U-16 girls team at the UEFA Development Tournament, Edmonds led the team through the postseason.
Luckily for Edmonds, filling the head coach position on short notice wasn’t a new experience. The morning of the team’s biggest rivalry game against Bishop Moore, Edmonds received a text at 3 a.m — Yaxley’s wife had gone into labor, and there was no way he could make it to the game.
At first, all she could do was panic. But Edmonds quickly adapted, sticking to the game plan to steer the team to a 1-0 win.
The experience bolstered her confidence for the postseason. Both coaches knew if Lake Highland Prep advanced past the quarterfinals, Yaxley would have to step away for national team duty, leaving Edmonds in charge for the biggest game in most of her players’ lives.
So when the Highlanders beat West Shore 3-1 to advance to the semifinals, Edmonds knew it was her time to step up. No amount of preparation could fully prepare her for the emotions of the following week.
“I’m not gonna lie, I was really nervous,” Edmonds said. “I literally went home from the game and I was already preparing because I was so nervous. But I loved it, it was fun being in that role.”
The semifinal match was a challenge. Lake Highland Prep faced Miami Carrollton School, a team that was ranked No. 5 nationally by MaxPreps. The team managed to hold a 1-1 tie into the half, but ultimately fell 3-1 just a game shy of the championship.
Still, Edmonds finished the season with a feeling of satisfaction. Her team managed upsets of national and state powerhouses, finishing the season 13-6.
“We knew we had a special group,” Edmonds said. “We already knew that. I think the girls were a bit nervous, but it was exciting for them to kind of be on that stage because the girls in this group have never been there before. It was kind of a little taste and now they want more.”
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For Edmonds, this season with Lake Highland Prep was exactly what she needed.
The 2019 NWSL season was tough, for Edmonds and for the Pride as a whole. The team went 4-16-4, struggling as players recovered from pregnancy and faced down cancer. Edmonds started the season with an injury, then bounced around the lineup, playing out of position in the majority of her starts to fill holes in the roster.
When she hit the offseason, coaching at Lake Highland Prep reminded Edmonds of a different side of soccer. Most of the players on her team didn’t have serious plans of playing in college or the NWSL. Some were on club teams, staying on their high school squad for the enjoyment of playing with their friends and for their school.
Still, they loved the game. They loved their team, and the weekly competition. And for Edmonds, being around that energy helped her stay focused on everything she loves about soccer.
Now, she feels recharged, ready to enter the NWSL season — whenever it resumes — with a fresh focus.
“Last season with this injury, obviously, I had a really tough time,” Edmonds said. “Getting around them and seeing them enjoy the game just kind of purely, it gave me a little reminder of why I started playing in the first place. I definitely go into this season with a mindset of just enjoying playing.”