Gotham FC head coach taking 5-week parental leave

Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amoros began a five-week parental leave on Monday following the birth of his family's second child.

The NWSL club announced that lead assistant coach Shaun Harris will serve as acting coach until Amoros returns in early September.

"I'm incredibly grateful to everyone at Gotham FC for supporting us unconditionally while we were deciding to take this step," Amoros said. "This is a personal decision for our family, but I also recognize the visibility that comes with my role. When fathers take parental leave, particularly men in leadership positions, it helps normalize an important principle: Caring for children is a shared responsibility between parents. I need to be there for my family."

Amoros, 42, has coached Gotham since 2023 and guided the squad to league championships in 2023 and 2025. He was the 2023 NWSL Coach of the Year.

"We are proud to be a club that recognizes that creating an equitable environment requires supporting all parents," said Yael Averbuch West, president of soccer operations for Gotham FC. "We appreciate that Juan is using his platform to reinforce that message. We have great confidence in Shaun and our entire technical staff to continue leading the team during this period, and we look forward to welcoming Juan back in September."

Harris served as acting head coach for three matches earlier this season and has been with the club for three years.

--Field Level Media