Despite the fact that San Diego Wave Fútbol Club head coach Casey Stoney has been without her family for almost a year, she will finally get to enjoy the live support of her loved ones at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday as her team takes on the Chicago Red Stars in its first-round playoff game.

“Well it’s certainly challenged me as a human being,” said Stoney. “Being away from my kids and my partner for a year has shown me how resilient I can be.”

Stoney joined the club on July 14 of 2021 after spending three years as head coach of Manchester United W.F.C. where she finished with a 52-win 6 draw and 19 loss record. In her first year at the helm of San Diego Wave FC, Stoney led the team to a 10-6-6 record, which earned the third seed in the playoffs.

Before this Sunday’s match against Chicago, her children will get to walk onto the pitch alongside the players before the opening whistle.

“That will be a really proud moment for me because they’re a huge part of my life and why I do the job that I do,” she added. “I do everything I do for my children and my family. For them to be there is going to be a very proud moment, but I want us to win. To show my little boy that women are strong and capable, and to show my little girls that if you dream so big and work so hard, absolutely anything is possible.”

As for finding out if Stoney will get the NWSL coach of the year award, this will be announced in the days surrounding the championship game, which is on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 5:30 p.m. at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.

Golden Boot winner Alex Morgan and defender Naomi Girma are among the nominees for most valuable player, with Girma being nominated for defender of the year, and rookie of the year, while goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan is nominated as goalkeeper of the year.