Houston Dash

The Houston Dash start their sixth NWSL season with one objective: They have to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in team history.

With this in mind, the organization shifted command during the offseason and brought in James Clarkson as the new head coach. Clarkson is replacing Vera Pauw who, despite many challenges, built a solid team in 2018. However, the team failed to qualify to the post season and Vera decided to step aside.

Here are three keys elements that will help the Dash have a successful 2019 season:

The team is starting with a full squad for the first time in the last few seasons. In previous seasons the Texas team had challenges in the offseason, which they failed to overcome. Those challenges affected them rest of the year. One of the major issues was getting every player on the same page and being committed to playing for the same purpose. This season it seems the team is on the same page, which will help in their fight to make the post season.

All NWSL teams will need to have rosters deep enough to step up when the international players leave for the World Cup. One of the few teams in the NWSL that will not be affect by the Women’s World Cup this summer is the Houston Dash. They have secured a competitive roster which will have not problems competing in the league while the World Cup takes place.

Kealia Ohai is the natural leader of this squad and if she has a good year it will help the rest of the team, helping others to gain confidence in important matches. Ohai is one of the few experienced players on a young Houston roster that has the leadership to shift things in the right direction when there is a difficult moment. If she keeps healthy and starts scoring early in the season, it will definitively help the squad succeed this 2019.