By Jackie Finlan 

Coaching changes are never easy, but when they’re made in the middle of the season, they can be catastrophic - or exactly what's needed. 

After reflecting on the first half of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) season, New York found itself weighing its options and ultimately made changes for the benefit of the team. 

New Coach To Start Season

The struggle began when former head coach James English announced he wasn’t returning to the club and New York had to scramble for a replacement. The defending national champions found Andrew Britt, former coach to the DII Village Lions Men and now with Rugby United New York.

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“It was amazing how much he was able to invest in us without really knowing us,” New York co-captain Jenn Salomon said. “He came with a different game plan that we tried to adapt to and we tried to meet halfway. But there’s a style we’re known for, and it just wasn’t the right fit, and that happens sometime.”

The disconnect played out on the pitch, as New York dropped back-to-back games to end the first half of the season. After losing to Beantown at home, “a game we should have won,” the fullback asserted, Salomon knew it was time to act.

Something Was Missing

“Something was missing and we needed to fix it,” Salomon said. “Coming off the Beantown loss, I had a few conversations with Andrew, and it seemed like we both knew where it was going. The parting was mutual; no bad blood.”

Salomon was quick to add that the two losses had nothing to do with Britt’s release, because the team had the right personnel to perform to expectations.

“As a team leader, I saw what my team needed, and they were missing that connection to their coach, someone they trusted,” the co-captain said. “Andrew wasn’t given the proper time to gain that.”

Former captain and USA Eagle Tiff Faaee stepped into the head coaching role after the Beantown match and is supported by former WPL-er Lucia Oswald, who served as 7s assistant coach during the summer.

“[The coaching change] was hard on the players, but Tiff and Lucia are amazing. We trust them and they know us as players, they know as humans, and know our potential and how we want to play,” Salomon said. “Practices have been high intensity and challenging, lots of movement, and high accountability.”

Quick Rebound

The coaching change aligned with New York’s bye week so the team had two weeks to settle in. That said, horrible weather meant only two run-outs before the team’s next test: Atlanta on Randall’s Island. After an even first half, New York rallied for a much-needed 60-32 victory.

“It was a definitely a team win without a doubt. There was so much unity and continuity and cohesion,” Salomon said. “That said, one person off the bench did stand out – Jackie Johnson, who has been pretty impactful all season and this game lifted us even more, both defensively with big hits and some pretty amazing linebreaks. That added momentum and energy, too.

“We never talked about the score. Atlanta played hard, and so every time we had to huddle up, we had a ‘set the tone’ mentality,” Salomon added. “These are the game we want to win; we don’t want to run over anyone.”

It was a risk to change coaches mid-season, but Salomon is now certain it was the right decision, and the proof was on the pitch.

“This game felt like we’re back to playing the game we know how to play and we added a fun element. We had smiles on our faces, and it felt good,” Salomon said.  

With Sunday’s win, New York bettered its chances for a top-two finish in the Red Conference, and thus a semifinal spot at the WPL National Championship, which FloRugby will live-stream from Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 26-28.