EMILY DeROEHN--
SPOTLIGHT COACH OF THE MONTH
Scorpions Spotlight is happy to announce Rhode Island Coach Emily DeRoehn has been named Coach of the Month! Behind her leadership, Coach Emily's teams are off to strong starts in the NECSL spring season.
Spotlight asked Coach Emily to tell us about her soccer history:
COACH EMILY:
Hi, my name is Emily DeRoehn, and I am a first-year coach with Rhode Island 2016 girls Black, Rhode Island 2016 girls White, and Rhode Island 2007/2008 girls Black.
I am from Old Lyme, CT, and I began playing soccer when I was just 3 years old. I was a very shy kid, and the soccer field quickly became the place where I was most confident. I played town, club, and eventually college soccer at Johnson and Wales University, where I was a four-time First Team All-Conference selection, three-time All-Region selection, two-time USC All-American, USC Academic All-American, and the 2024/2025 GNAC Female Athlete of the Year. I also played semi-professional soccer with the Rhode Island Rogues Futbol Club. But now that I've bragged too much, I can honestly say that soccer has shaped me into the person I am today, and I firmly believe that my coaches’ impact on my life has been immeasurable. Now I’m grateful for the opportunity to try and return the favor.
Being a 23-year-old female coach puts me in a very unique and influential position that I understand the weight of. Young female athletes are able to relate to me as their coach in ways they normally can’t, as soccer coaches are predominantly male. I know my players consider me a role model, and that is not something I take lightly. I love the game and hope I can build that same love for my players, but ultimately I just want to teach them that it's cool to be a confident, competitive, and tough woman.
The 2016 girls Black team got off to a pretty rocky start in the fall. We were learning our team identity, and I was learning to be a coach for the very first time. Our transformation from the fall to now has been so drastic and enjoyable to watch. In the winter, we played in a U10 indoor boys league, where we went undefeated, greatly improving our confidence and team chemistry. We also won the 2026 Seacoast Showcase, a challenge that demonstrated a new level of tenacity and resilience from our girls and marked our first tournament victory with this group.
Going into the spring season, our roster has grown so much. We have added an additional 2016 team and look forward to providing each individual player with plenty of game experience and opportunities for improvement. I am so proud of the ongoing determination from this group, but more importantly, the teamwork, kindness, and support they all show each other.
The 2007/2008 girls have been a completely different challenge. These players are toward the end of their club soccer journey, with some facing the exciting yet daunting task of the college soccer recruitment process. As someone with recent experience, I’m able to be a resource during this time. I have loved coaching this group and getting to implement more difficult drills and concepts, not only challenging the players but also myself as a coach. As these players enter the next stage of their careers, I hope to help them with their preparedness to play at the next level, not only in terms of technical and tactical skill, but also mentality.
I feel very lucky for the opportunity to work with these female athletes at different yet crucial points of their soccer journey, as I’m fortunate to share my passions while simultaneously learning as much from my players as they do from me.
