Catching up with California Storm Executive Director and Assistant Coach Jamie Levoy
We discussed the Storm, Bay FC, state of women's soccer, and more.
I recently had the privilege of sitting down with California Storm Executive Director and Assistant Coach Jamie Levoy. Throughout our conversation, Levoy and I discussed the California Storm, being part of the ownership group of the NWSL expansion team Bay FC, growth of the game, state of women’s soccer, and more.
Thank you to Levoy for making time to talk. This is the first of hopefully many posts on Capital City Footy and I am grateful for her trust and willingness to be interviewed. Without further delay, below is my conversation. I hope you enjoy.
2023 was another successful season for the California Storm. Obviously, the team fell short in the playoffs, but how do you feel it went?
I think it was fantastic — obviously coming off a national championship with the Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPSL) in 2022, there is an expectation and hope to do that again. It is extremely hard to do, but you still strive to do that. The team was doing really well in the WPSL and USL W League and we had a couple of injuries that was rough. For instance, Eleanor Dale pulled her groin and now she’s the leading goal scorer in the entire country in Division I. We still had phenomenal players — Giana Riley, Camryn Lancaster, and the list goes on. The players, staff and everyone gave everything they could — it was such a great year.
It was definitely an adjustment playing in two leagues, but that was something the players really enjoyed because they got extra games in, got to see different opponents and it mixed things up. There are definitely things that I learned from that I am going to adjust for the upcoming season.
Talk a little more about year one competing in the USL W League. Do you feel the club got the support it needed?
I thought the league did a great job. They have the structure as they’ve done the men’s side for so long. It was kind of a plug and play on the women’s side. They gave us the resources to be successful and media [exposure]. There are areas to improve, but the overall consensus from the other clubs competing [for the first year] is that it was a really good step. [We’re] happy with the league.
I see the Storm doing a lot to connect in the community — in particular, ensuring there is access to soccer for underserved youth. Is this an area of focus for the club?
It’s all about community. I have found that kids want access to soccer year round. [Not everyone] can play on a competitive team, whether it’s kids with disabilities or kids that maybe financially can’t do it. The sport is meant for everybody. All you need is a ball. For us, we want every single person to know that they are important and that they’re seen. Soccer is a common language we can all find togetherness in. Nothing else matters. It’s just the ball and those on the field.
I imagine planning for the 2024 California Storm season is already underway. Anything exciting you can share on the horizon?
I can’t go into too much detail, but I am very excited to be soon launching a new program that will elevate girls and women not just on the pitch.
You are now part of the ownership group of NWSL expansion club Bay FC. How did you get involved in that and how are excited to be a part of it?
It’s super exciting. I always wanted to [bring] the NWSL to Sacramento. The Storm would have been perfect, we have a great community fanbase, [and I thought] we could build something great for women, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
But I was talking with Brandy [Brandy Chastain] and Leslie [Leslie Osborne] one day, and they were like, hey…we’re trying to bring the NWSL to the Bay Area. And I was like, how do I get in on this [laughs]? They got me connected and I have been all in every since. It’s so exciting.
I love what we’re doing with the Storm, but we’re always wondering where players go? Do we send them overseas? There’s just not enough opportunity here in the United States, and so with adding another team that is local, it’s just going to be massive for players and for young girls to say….wow, I can actually see these players on the field, they’re accessible…I can be that. We’ve done that with the Storm, but now this is another level.
I believe Bay FC just signed the largest sponsor in NWSL history — $13 million for naming rights to their kit. As someone who has been involved in the game both as a player, coach and executive, how gratifying is it to see what is deserved finally coming to fruition?
It’s one of those goosebumps, tears in your eyes moments because it’s something you feel like when you’re in the women’s soccer industry, you’ve been banging on doors and saying…look, we have something great here….these women are amazing, the community needs this, and nobody is opening that door.
[The investment] has been better, but it’s still a massive uphill battle. You look at what comes in on the men’s side..even USL-wise, the deals that are being done…and you’re like, why are women not getting that? These are full top professional players in the country.
But yeah, when seeing that kit sponsor and just how excited people are getting about the women’s game…not just fans, but now businesses see there is value in this…it’s huge. It’s not just we’re supporting women….this is a great market for businesses to be in.
What is your overall thoughts on where the women’s game is at?
The women’s game is at an interesting point, because if you look at the game in the United States versus the women’s game in other countries, it’s really evolving. In other countries they develop these high-end academies and not the pay-to-play model…it’s let’s get the best players in and give them the resources to be extremely successful. In the United States, we’ve always been so dominate, [but] as you saw in this last World Cup, we’re not able to just kind of ride the wave of being the best of the best anymore. We’ve got to pay attention to the details and get better that way.
So the women’s game is absolutely evolving. It’s getting faster, more technical, it’s just so exciting to watch. As much as I love that the United States is the strongest, I think it’s also exciting to see these other countries come up and be challenging.
I’m a big fan of iron sharpens iron. Without the competition, it’s hard to be pushed to hit your peak. This is just a fantastic time for the game.
Hodges is a contributor @opencup, @usopencup. Formerly, he was the editor of Indomitable City Soccer covering Sacramento Republic FC. You can follow him on Twitter @william_hodges.