Racing Louisville FC’s first-year head coach, Kim Björkegren, has filled all but one role on the club’s technical staff with NWSL competition kicking off later this month.
As Racing continues the search for a permanent top assistant coach, former interim head coach Mario Sanchez — also head of the club’s youth academy — is helping lead the team. Other assistants include returning goalkeepers coach Sergio Gonzalez and Julie Twaddle, the new head of high performance.
Support staff consists of Director of Operations Caitlyn Flores, Head Equipment Manager Alyssa Delsanter, Head Athletic Trainer Tara Condon and Assistant Athletic Trainer Megan Fernandez.
Having served as an assistant during the 2021 season, Gary Curneen has since transitioned into an analyst role for Racing’s parent organization, Soccer Holdings. Curneen will work moving forward for both Racing and the USL Championship club Louisville City FC.
“I am very happy with the group,” Björkegren said of his staff. “I feel that everyone here is open-minded. There is no one who feels that they are bigger than the other. We all can talk to each other and respect their opinions and decisions. Even if in the end I am the head coach, everyone is involved. We need to have a good time together. The feeling around the group is really good, so I am super happy.”
Sanchez, who stepped in as Racing’s interim head coach last September for the remainder of 2021, helped the club finish its inaugural season on a high note. Over its final three games, Racing picked up results from losing positions to finish with 22 points, most of any NWSL expansion team to date.
Gonzalez is entering his second season with Racing. Prior to that, he worked most recently as Indiana University’s women’s associate head coach. Gonzalez boasts more than two decades of coaching experience, including eight years with both women’s and men’s Big Ten Conference programs. Internationally, he has also coached goalkeepers for the U-16 and U-17 national teams.
Twaddle joins Racing Louisville after most recently spending time in England as Durham Women FC’s head of performance. Prior to that, she served as Manchester City’s head of strength and conditioning. She worked at Man City with current Racing defender Gemma Bonner and forward Nadia Nadim. Twaddle earned her MSc in Exercise Science at Central Connecticut State University, where she was a member of the school’s first women’s soccer team. She was named Northeast Conference Player of the Year in 1998 and was inducted into CCSU’s Hall of Fame in 2016.
Flores has spent the past two years as Soccer Holdings’ facility manager. She previously served as the National Events Coordinator with the Elite Clubs National League, serving in a vital operations role for the top youth soccer circuit in the country. Flores holds a bachelor’s degree in sports administration from the University of Louisville and a master’s degree in sports leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she played collegiately.
Delsanter returns for her second season in Louisville. She is well versed within the NWSL, sporting four years of experience having previously worked as OL Reign’s head equipment manager.
Condon is joining Racing after spending the past two years working with New York City FC’s youth academy. She has also served as an assistant athletic trainer and graduate assistant Grand Canyon University and the University of North Carolina. A native of Tomkins Cove, N.Y., Condon has presented research at conferences across the globe and holds ATC, CSCS, PRI and BFR certifications.
Fernandez returns for her second season with Racing. She has also served as head athletic trainer at her last stop, Florida International University, where she worked with the women’s basketball program. She holds ATC, CSCS, and LAT certifications.
Racing is preparing for a March 18 kickoff to the NWSL Challenge Cup, a preseason tournament consisting of six group stage games. The 22-game regular season will follow starting in May.
