Texas Spurs FC Women’s Team Brings Back Player-Coaches and Adds New Talent to Coaching Staff

The Texas Spurs Women’s UPSL Team welcomes back Coach Amanda Pierson and Coach Melanie Barnes as head co-coaches for the 2025 season! The club is also excited to announce the addition of Meesh Hooten as the official assistant coach! Meesh comes with a lengthy resume, including playing for Texas A&M, coaching at the high school, middle school and youth level. Hooten has played for the Fort Worth Panthers in the WPSL, The Texas Spurs in the WPSL and UPSL and continues to play at high levels of women’s leagues year round. Hooten has been a big part of the team’s success on the field for many years, and the club is looking forward to watching her in a player coaching role this upcoming season!

Pierson and Barnes have accomplished a lot together since taking on the positions as co-coaches three seasons ago. In 2023, the team came in first in conference, winning the conference final 1-0 against the Arkansas Wolves. 

In 2024 the UPSL women’s league grew and gave the players an opportunity to compete in a conference final and a Texas-North Arkansas Conference Championship. The Texas Spurs Women won in the conference final 1-0 vs. Arkansas Legacy and moved on to win in the Texas-North Arkansas Conference Championship, beating the San Antonio Runners 8-0.

The Texas Spurs FC also welcomed in a U23 team last year that were also coached by the player-coach duo. This team gave opportunities to younger players in the area. The U23 had some great achievements of their own, beating the Arkasas Wolves at home as well as Hurst both home and away during the 2024 season. “We would love to do another U23 team in the future, but we would need more resources to make it happen” commented Pierson.  

The two co-coaches played together for many years for the Texas Spurs FC competing in the WPSL and UPSL as well as traveled on tour in Spain together with the Stars ‘n Stripes International tour, Coached by Ed Puskarich, the Texas Spurs FC owner. 

The most unique part of this year's coaching staff is they are all player coaches and have continued to put some points on the board on the field as players. “The balance can be tricky at times” stated Pierson, “but we work to make the best decisions for the team, keep a positive environment, and make sure every player knows that we have their backs and want them there”. “We are big on women supporting women and have fully enjoyed being able to be in such a unique situation, especially together.” Player coaches make sense with this new generation of female athletes, so many of them have the knowledge to coach, but are not done with their playing career. The women’s game has continued to evolve and it’s players like these three coaches that have pathed the way for so many, to watch them continue on their journey as players and coaches is inspirational. 

This upcoming season the UPSL has added in a National Championship. “One of our main goals is to fight to get to Nationals,” says Barnes. “We’ve been waiting for an even bigger challenge and with the National Championship added into the women’s side, it gives us the opportunity to fight for something more this year!”

The Texas Spurs Women’s season will start in the middle of May! Here’s to another successful season by this program, their talented players, and their unparalleled coaching staff!