Culture and mentality propelling Dash to hot start – Equalizer Soccer

Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

It’s been a strange few years for the Houston Dash. Two years removed from a last-place finish and a coaching change, the Dash fell two games short of the NWSL playoffs with another disappointing finish in 2025. After debuting with the league in 2014, Houston has only made the playoffs once, and also regularly struggles to fill Shell Energy Stadium, averaging 6,041 fans per game last year.

On top of that, the Dash entered the 2026 season with additional uncertainty. After multiple attempts to sell the team have fallen short, Houston’s owner Ted Segel is reportedly relaunching the process. And then two days before the second game of the season, Houston sent midfielders Yazmeen Ryan and Delanie Sheehan to the Denver Summit in a surprise move, receiving $1 million in funds but no players in return.

And yet, the Dash are off to one of the best starts in the NWSL. In just four games, Houston has three wins, holds the second-most goals in the league and sits in fifth place with a game in hand coming out of the international break.

In an interview with The Equalizer, Dash head coach Fabrice Gautrat said that internal leadership and team culture have been key to the team’s early run. Gautrat came to the Dash in January 2025, and in one year has been able to bring the Dash together despite the rough patches.

“If you were to ask me a year ago if I thought the culture and the mentality of the team would be where it’s at right now … I’ve been overly impressed by everyone inside this organization in terms of contributing to where we’re at,” he said. “We just love being here, together, work hard together. There’s just a really unique culture within this team.”