Reign FC General Manager Lesle Gallimore Wins United Soccer Coaches Honor Award

On Friday, Reign FC General Manager Lesle Gallimore was honored as United Soccer Coaches 85th recipient of its Honor Award. This award, established in 1942, is the association’s highest accolade. It celebrates individuals whose impact on the sport of soccer is profound, with emphasis on service to the association that has enhanced the coaching profession and contributed to the game as a whole. Gallimore served as President of the United Soccer Coaches organization in 2018 and is the third woman to ever receive this award.

Gallimore received the award at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Chicago, Illinois. The award exemplifies Gallimore’s remarkable service to the association and exceptional contributions to soccer across all levels of the game throughout her career. 

A pillar in the PNW, Gallimore was the Reign’s first-ever Legends Campaign honoree in 2016 and joined the club as General Manager in 2023, a historic season that saw the team advance to the NWSL Championship for the first time since 2015. Since then, she has been a steadfast leader in the organization. 

Notably, Gallimore spent 26 seasons with the University of Washington as the women’s soccer head coach. From 1994-2019, she led the team to 15 NCAA Tournament appearances and twice earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year awards (2000 and 2019). 

For her achievements, she was inducted into the Washington Youth Soccer Hall of Fame in 2019 and was also named the first-ever recipient of the Carla Overbeck Leadership Award by U.S. Soccer in March 2023. 

Before joining the Reign, Gallimore served as Commissioner of the Girls Academy (GA). Under her leadership, GA became the leading youth development platform for female soccer players throughout the United States. In her time as Commissioner, Gallimore was at the forefront of growing the game in the United States, as over 13,000 female athletes played in the league and over 600 players committed to continue their soccer journey at the collegiate level. 

A mentor to many and a lifelong steward of the game, Gallimore is involved with U.S. Soccer’s SheChampions Mentorship Program, a program seeking to inspire the next generation of female players and coaches. She has also been a part of the Empowering Women and Girls through the Sports Diplomacy Program through the U.S. State Department, traveling to several countries in her efforts to support and empower women and girls.