Letter from the New Women’s Team Head Coach
My name is Lindsay Hernandez, and I am extremely excited to have been named Head Coach for Kensington Soccer Club's WPSL team for the 2026 season! I look forward to meeting everyone in the KSC community, but for those who I have not met yet, I would like to just tell you a little bit about myself!
I was born and raised in New Jersey and grew up surrounded by a village of family and friends who helped raise me. I am one of 5 children, and I was beyond privileged to have a Mom and Dad who encouraged us all to try many sports, but I think it was obvious from an early age which sport had my heart. The highlights of my summer were going to Mustang soccer camp at my local HS. The camp was run by the Brick Memorial Girls Varsity team, which to me at the time may as well have been the Women’s National Team. I always liked soccer, but I think it was these summer camps that made me fall in love with the sport.
I do have to attribute much of my passion for the game to a high school soccer coach who has been running the high school varsity program since I was attending those camps, through my 4 years in high school, and still does now when I am out of college and coaching on my own now! Thank you, BC, for teaching me passion really does change everything!
I continued soccer through high school while playing club ball as well for MatchFit ECNL and PDA South NPL, where I had a coach who believed more in me than I did myself. Kelvin Murray was everything a coach should be; he was knowledgeable of the game, extremely encouraging, and always knew how to get the best out of each of his players.
I went on to play soccer at the collegiate level, where I went through many ups and downs but never lost my passion for the game. After my playing days had ended, I was offered the assistant coaching position at Rutgers University Camden, where my initial reaction was that I was nowhere near qualified (which may have been true), but with the support and encouragement from Kevin Luber and Fran Nicoletti, I decided to take the job, and I have never looked back. I just completed my third season as the assistant coach, and I can say without a doubt it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have grown a lot since my first day coaching and have learned so much working under Coach Kevin. I know I would never be in the position I am today without him.
MY WHY
Growing up, I was fortunate enough that I never had to worry about if I would get to play the game I loved. I never had to worry if I would be signed up to play that season or think twice about how I would get to practices and games. Whether it was my Mom, Dad, Grandmother, or family friend (thank you, Lambertson family), someone was making sure I got to soccer that day!
I was privileged to have played all over the east coast on high level and expensive travel teams...an opportunity not every young soccer player gets. For these reasons, when Tim came to me from Kensington Soccer Club, it was an easy yes. Not just a yes to coaching the WPSL team, but a yes to everything the club represents. A yes to advocating for those who don’t have the same opportunities I had growing up. A yes to providing an opportunity for all the kids in the area a safe place to fall in love with the game I’ve loved my whole life.
Playing without restriction is something every child should have the opportunity to do, and I am proud to be a part of a club who ensures this for so many children in the area! I look forward to partnering with the club to be able to have events like the Girls Experience Day on February 16th.
My other passion in life is helping others, specifically children. I am a pediatric nurse at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and have been working here since 2023. I truly love my job. Though it can be extremely challenging at times, it is also a very rewarding career where I feel like I am making a positive difference in the lives of families. The children I work with are beyond resilient, and I am proud to be a part of this club who provides such amazing opportunities for these same kids in the Philadelphia area!
GOALS/VISION FOR THE TEAM
My goal for this WPSL team is the create a positive, competitive environment where all players are excited to come each week to improve their game together. I strive to recruit players who are looking to improve their game and who are ready to push themselves to becoming a better version of themselves.
I will be taking a player-first approach, as I will have limited time with these athletes before many of them head off to their college campus for their fall preseason. I plan to focus sessions on individual growth over game tactics, as these players come from teams who all play different formations and have different styles of attacking/defending.
My goal is not to change the big picture but to fine tune the small aspects of their game: first touch, passing/receiving, shooting/finishing, 1v1 attacking and defending. Sessions will be purposeful, organized, and challenging in an effort for athletes to walk away each day feeling accomplished. When our season is complete, I want every player to be better than they came in and ready to take on whatever is next for them; whether that be their NCAA season, playing on another women's team, or simply continuing training.
NEXT STEPS
•We will be having 3 tryout dates in the coming weeks.
•All tryouts will be at Starfinder Indoor Turf Facility in Philadelphia, PA.
Dates and times are as follow:
-Sunday, February 1 | 7:15–9:15 pm
-Sunday, February 22 | 7:15–9:15 pm
-Saturday, March 14 | 6–8 pm
For interested athletes, here is the interest form/sign up for tryouts:
https://system.gotsport.com/programs/11E402016
Any questions at all, please feel free to reach out to me whenever at Lindsay@kensingtonsoccer.org
