Denise Helen Reddy (born September 14, 1970) is an American professional soccer coach and former player who is currently an assistant head coach for the United States women's national soccer team.
Reddy was a four-year starter for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, from 1988 to 1991. During that span, the Scarlet Knights won two Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship titles, and Reddy was named to the NSCAA All-America second team in 1991. During her collegiate career, she scored 5 goals and 9 assists in 81 appearances.[2]
Reddy also played for the Rutgers women's basketball team from 1990 to 1993, including an appearance in the 1993 Atlantic 10 Championship.[2] She received her bachelor's degree in exercise science and communications.[6]
Sweden, 1995–2005
After college, Reddy joined Swedish side Umeå IK in 1995, then moved to Malmö DFF in 1996, where she played for 10 years. For seven of those seasons, from 1999 to 2005, Reddy was the team's captain. During Reddy's time on the team, Malmö DFF won the 1997 Swedish Cup, reached the semifinals of the 2003–04 UEFA Women's Cup, and appeared in the 2005 Mediterranean International Cup championship. During her career at Malmö DFF, she scored 35 goals in 336 appearances.[2]
Coaching career
Youth and non-professional, 1989–2005
Reddy coached in the New Jersey Olympic Development Program (ODP) from 1989 to 1994, and served as an assistant coach at Cornell University in 1994. During her professional playing career, Reddy also coached or was an assistant trainer at Borger (1996–2001) and Procivitas (2004–2005) high school academies in Sweden.[2][7]
New Jersey Wildcats, 2006–2007
Charlie Naimo, then head coach of holding USL W-League champions New Jersey Wildcats, hired Reddy as an assistant in April 2006, following her retirement as a professional player.
Jersey Sky Blue, 2007–2008
After the season, she was hired as the head coach of the W-League's Jersey Sky Blue, where she served until 2008.[3] Jersey Sky Blue was chaired by Thomas Hofstetter, who would go on to form Sky Blue FC in 2009, and Reddy is credited as one of the club's founders and instrumental in the establishment of the Sky Blue Soccer School.[6][8]