Edgewater Castle FC Announces 2025 Women's First Team Coaches

Edgewater Castle FC is proud to announce the Women’s First Team head coach for the 2025 season as Emma Woodley (top left). Woodley takes over for a team coming off a stellar 2024 season that saw them bring home medals for winning the USASA Region 2 Final. This marks Woodley’s return after taking off the previous season.

Woodley brings a wealth of experience. During her collegiate playing career, Woodley lettered all four years and capped things off with being named to the First Team All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW). She was the first player from North Park University women’s soccer to earn that recognition since the 1990s.

Woodley’s senior season also came with her breaking the record for goals in a single season with a league-leading 17 goals. She achieved that through scoring 2.06 points per game and 0.94 goals per game, both of which led the league.

After spending time as a graduate assistant at North Park University, she took over as head coach of the NPU Vikings where she still holds that title. Her 2022 coaching season saw her lead the Vikings to their first-ever win over the Wheaton College Thunder. That matchup saw the Vikings lose their 26 previous meetings.

Woodley is already overseeing ECFC’s tryouts for the 2025 season and is eager to field a team that will build upon the previous season’s success. Woodley coached for ECFC’s Women’s First Team in 2023 which laid the foundation for their success in 2024.

Joining the coaching staff will be First Assistant Coach Kristin Boos (top right), Assistant Coach Flower Edington (bottom left) and Assistant Coach Nathalie Mathis (bottom right). Boos, Edington and Mathis have all played for the Rooks before and look forward to shifting into their new coaching roles for 2025.

Edington is excited to build on the strong foundation of family and competition that makes the club such a unique community. Her coaching philosophy emphasizes tactical flexibility and team cohesion, focusing on a balanced yet dynamic style of play. With coaching experience across various levels, including at the Chicago Fire Youth Soccer Club and Special Olympics Unified Team, Edington is passionate about player development and enhancing the team’s competitive spirit. Supported by a skilled coaching staff and a talented team, she is proud to continue shaping Edgewater’s identity, one grounded in excellence, resilience, and a deep passion for the game.

Mathis brings playing and coaching experience to Edgewater Castle FC, having played as a defensive midfielder at Dominican University and in Argentina’s 8v8 leagues. She spent the past four years as head coach of the 2006G Premier team at Chicago Fire Youth SC. Passionate and player-focused, Mathis aims to help the team win the UWS conference while strengthening the club’s presence in semi-pro women’s soccer. Excited for this role, she looks forward to learning from Coach Emma and making an impact.

Boos, originally from Sterling Heights, Michigan, has always had a passion for the game, looking up to Sam Kerr as her favorite player. She is deeply passionate about soccer and finds enjoyment in both playing and coaching. As a coach her philosophy continues to grow as she seeks opportunities to learn and grow on the field. This upcoming season, Boos hopes to build a strong, competitive team that is capable of performing at a very high level, with a goal of being amongst the top teams in the Midwest Conference. She is excited about her new role with ECFC, and is eager to contribute in a different capacity and to help develop into something special.