Hemmi Leads Lexington Women's Team

LEXINGTON, Ky., 2025 – Lexington Sporting Club has officially named Masaki Hemmi as the new head coach of its women's team ahead of the 2025/26 Gainbridge Super League season.

Hemmi steps into the role following a successful stint as interim head coach of Chicago Stars FC (NWSL) earlier this year. He stabilized the squad quickly, earning a draw in his first match and bringing renewed energy to the locker room.

"I'm incredibly excited and truly honored to lead Lexington Sporting Club into the 2025/26 season and beyond," said Coach Hemmi.

A Global Football Journey

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Hemmi moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico at 16. He played collegiately at Colorado School of Mines and the University of New Mexico, before shifting his focus toward coaching and player development.

"My passion lies in helping every individual in the organization maximize their potential," said Hemmi. "I will give everything I have to establish Lexington SC as a fortress for professional soccer, both nationally and globally."

Experience Across Levels and Borders

Over the past decade, Hemmi has built an impressive coaching résumé:

• 2021: Associate Head Coach, INAC Kobe (WE League, Japan), supporting the team ahead of the Tokyo Olympics
• 2023: Interim Head Coach, New Mexico United (USL Championship), after serving as First Assistant and Director of Player Personnel
• 2024-25: Joined Chicago Stars FC (NWSL) staff, promoted to interim head coach in 2025

Lexington SC ownership praised the hire:

"Coach Masaki brings a proven record in the NWSL, USL, and abroad," said Stephen Dawahare. "His leadership will foster a culture of excellence and push our players to reach their peak."

Conclusion

Hemmi's arrival signals a new era for Lexington SC's women's program. With his international experience and commitment to player development, all eyes will be on whether he can transform Lexington into a rising force in the Gainbridge Super League.

5 Questions for Readers

1. Can Hemmi's international and NWSL experience fast-track Lexington's rise?
2. How will his player-focused approach shape team culture?
3. Will a mix of global perspective and local talent define this team's identity?
4. How competitive can Lexington SC be in their first Super League season?
5. What style of play do you hope Coach Hemmi brings to the pitch?

• Awaiting formal approval from the league and federation to finalize the contract.
• Spitzer will now enter the pre-season training cycle, with eyes set on contributing in the 2025–26 USL Super League season opener on September 6, 2025, at American Legion Memorial Stadium.
• Fans and media alike will be watching to see how this historic path unfolds—and how Spitzer continues influencing the game in her bold rookie season.

🤔 Questions for Discussion

As Stella Spitzer embarks on this historic journey, we'd love to hear your thoughts:

1. Will Stella Spitzer thrive in professional soccer at just 15, or is the step up too soon?
2. Is Carolina Ascent FC the ideal environment for nurturing such a young, talented female athlete?
3. With the political and social pressures around women's sports in the U.S., how will that impact a rising star like Spitzer?
4. Could Spitzer's story inspire more girls across the Carolinas to pursue professional soccer?
5. Will Carolina's youth‑focused approach make them a long‑term powerhouse, or is it a risky strategy?

💬 Share your thoughts below! We'd love to hear your perspective on this historic signing and what it means for the future of women's soccer.

中文版本 (Chinese Version)

北卡罗来纳州夏洛特 – 卡罗来纳上升FC已正式与15岁前锋斯特拉·斯皮策签署多年职业合同，等待联盟和联合会批准。凭借这一里程碑，斯皮策成为盖恩布里奇超级联赛历史上最年轻的职业球员。

🌟 创纪录的首秀

斯皮策此前曾以美国职业女子足球比赛最年轻球员的身份登上头条。她于2024年10月19日对阵布鲁克林FC的比赛中登场，当时年仅14岁198天。

👨‍💼 普尔教练的观点

在首个赛季带领卡罗来纳上升的主教练菲利普·普尔对这次决定表示信心：

"这次签约已经酝酿很久了。斯特拉去年在我们的环境中表现异常出色，迈出成为全职职业球员的下一步对所有人来说都是合理的...看着斯特拉的首秀以及我们在过去12个月中看到的成长，这个决定对我们来说很容易。"

关于指导斯皮策早期职业生涯：

"随着斯特拉迈出职业生涯的下一步——我们意识到年轻球员的发展需要时间，无疑会有起起落落。我们对斯特拉以及她能在卡罗来纳的未来产生的影响充满信心。"

💬 斯皮策自己的愿景

斯特拉·斯皮策表达了她的感激和抱负：

"有机会和正确的人在我身后能够签署这份合同，说实话是梦想成真...这不仅关乎我，也关乎激励下一代，向所有渴望成为职业足球运动员的人展示这是一个值得追求的现实目标。"

🏗️ 建立在卡罗来纳青年梯队之上

斯皮策于2024年6月首次加入卡罗来纳上升，签订学院合同——这是俱乐部从卡罗来纳各地发展本地青年人才理念的一部分。她的职业签约紧随中场球员B·希尔顿之后，后者在2025年6月通过学院梯队晋升后签署了职业合同。

🏆 背景：出色的首个赛季

卡罗来纳上升在2024-25赛季USL超级联赛的首秀赛季以以下成就为标志：

• 球员盾牌冠军：获得常规赛球员盾牌，在积分榜上排名第一
• 上座率里程碑：在夏洛特美国军团纪念体育场售罄比赛，平均每场超过4,000名球迷
• 俱乐部奖项：普尔教练获得年度教练，吉尔·阿吉拉尔获得年度后卫，杰出球员获得全联盟认可

斯皮策的签约与这一势头一致，卡罗来纳加倍投入青年发展并维持竞争成功。

🎯 为什么重要

• 打破纪录：斯皮策是美国女子足球历史上最年轻的职业合同签约球员。
• 青年梯队证明：继希尔顿转为职业球员后，这次签约突出了俱乐部内蓬勃发展的学院结构。
• 长期愿景：卡罗来纳不仅在结果上建立可持续成功，还在发展本土人才以塑造卡罗来纳女子足球的未来。

🔜 下一步是什么？

• 等待联盟和联合会的正式批准以完成合同。
• 斯皮策现在将进入季前训练周期，目标是在2025年9月6日美国军团纪念体育场举行的2025-26赛季USL超级联赛揭幕战中做出贡献。
• 球迷和媒体都将关注这一历史性道路如何展开——以及斯皮策如何在她大胆的新秀赛季继续影响比赛。

🤔 讨论问题

随着斯特拉·斯皮策踏上这一历史性旅程，我们想听听您的想法：

1. 斯特拉·斯皮策在年仅15岁时能在职业足球中茁壮成长，还是这一步太早了？
2. 卡罗来纳上升FC是培养如此年轻、有才华的女性运动员的理想环境吗？
3. 在美国围绕女子运动的政治和社会压力下，这将如何影响像斯皮策这样的新星？
4. 斯皮策的故事能激励卡罗来纳各地更多女孩追求职业足球吗？
5. 卡罗来纳以青年为中心的方法会使他们成为长期强队，还是这是一个冒险的策略？

💬 评论 (Comments)