Ben Willis to head Oly Town FC’s USL W team, Chris Wells promoted as sporting director

After a successful inaugural season in the USL W League last year, Oly Town FC announced on Sunday the rotations made on their coaching staff, with Ben Willis taking over the head coach role for the USL W team while last year’s USL W coach Chris Wells was promoted as USL Sporting Director as the club prepares for the 2024 season in the summer.

All is Wells that ends well

Chris Wells

After leading the Oly Town FC’s women’s outdoor soccer squad as the top seed in the USL W Northwest Division, Chris Wells has been promoted to USL Sporting Director for Oly Town after an announcement last Thursday.

This is in part because of the staff rotations made by the Artesians in preparation for the 2024 USL season. Just last week, the club announced the arrival of former USMNT player Jason Dunn as the new USL2 coach and Thurston-born pro player Miguel Gonzalez as USL technical advisor.

“The sporting director role brings about a great opportunity to oversee the growth and development of both the men’s and women’s program at Oly Town FC,” said Chris Wells. “Liviu Bird did a great job last year of getting our men’s program a huge step forward. With that, I’m excited to work with Jason Dunn and our future new women’s head coach on building off the groundwork formed last year.”

As sporting director, Chris Wells will influence the club’s entire USL development and future endeavors. Wells knows all about finding talent, as over 40 Div1 athletes showed up in Olympia last summer in 2023 to make up the Oly Town Artesians who made it to the playoffs in the USL W League.

“With the growth, Oly Town is experiencing, it's paramount that we have the right people in leadership to guide us on our path upward,” said club owner Ryan Perkins. “Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and believe he has earned his place at the table to move us into the clubs next chapter.”

Wells has extensive experience and achievements in the women’s game, which included leading the Seattle Stars FC to two NWPL Championships in the 2017 and 2018 season. Apart from Oly Town FC, he also oversaw the recruitment for the Seattle University women’s soccer program as the assistant coach of the Redhawks, being part of the squad that made it to a conference title game despite obstacles in the fall of 2023

“Our Seattle University season was a tale of adversity and how important team culture, and chemistry is,” said Wells about Seattle University’s Cinderella run last season. “We had a very resilient group that overcame several early season-ending injuries to make our conference Championship game.”

The Artesians are waiting for the USL release of the 2024 schedule for both men’s and women’s comps, wherein Northwest’s expansion sides Junction FC (West Seattle), Midlakes (Bellevue), and Tacoma Stars are expected to fuel the competition for the USL2 while USLW expects the return of teams from Portland, Oregon.

“2024 is going to be an exciting year for both sides” said Wells regarding summer 2024. “There is a lot of positive momentum right now and more than we had at this point a year ago. It’s going to be special.”

If there’s a Willis, there’s a way

Coach Ben Willis is named as Oly Town FC USL W head coach for 2024.

After the coaching role vacancy, Oly Town FC announced the appointment of former professional goalkeeper and Reign Academy coach Ben Willis as the USL W head coach for the upcoming summer soccer season, taking over from Chris Wells.

Willis, who had the approval of former coach and now sporting director Chris Wells, has significant ties to local women’s soccer but also had the unique experience of recently winning a national championship in USL2 as an assistant coach with Ballard FC. 

“Ben brings Oly Town FC a great blend of high-level experience and energy” said Chris Wells. “He’s been at the professional level, has a national championship and is in the college game currently. This will be a great step for the bright future he has as a coach.”

“I am really looking forward to bringing my enthusiasm and energy to this club to help this team win championships” said 2024 USL W Head Coach Ben Willis. “I got a taste last year and I want to bring that feeling to Oly Town this year and years to come.”

Willis played four years of college soccer with NCAA Division 1 Gonzaga University as a goalkeeper from Federal Way High School, posting several collegiate accolades in 56 appearances, including All-WCC honors as a keeper and an academic All-American.

After his college career, he would go on to have a pro and pro-am soccer career, playing with the likes of the U-23 Seattle Sounders, Lane United in the USL Premier Development League, and pro soccer with USL Championship side Rio Grande Valley FC (RGV FC), wherein his goalkeeping heroics were recognized with nominations on the USL Save of the Week.

“My favorite playing moment was my first pro game with RGV FC.” said Willis. “It ended up being against the Tacoma Defiance in Tacoma with my entire family there to watch. Having everyone that supported me throughout my journey from youth soccer to the pros and seeing my dream come true was something I’ll never forget.”

Retiring early in his career in 20202 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been focused on coaching and attaining multiple credentials, including a USSF C License and United Level 1 Goalkeeper Coach. He currently coaches at the Reign FC youth academy as head coach and had two seasons with Ballard FC in 2022 and 2023 as goalkeeping coach. 

Willis is also an assistant women’s coach in the NCAA with the University of Puget Sound, focusing on strength and conditioning following his degree in Kinesiology.

“My goal is to make our training atmosphere as close to the pro level as possible,” said Willis. “Player development is a top priority of mine and with development comes creating a team that is successful on the field. We will win games this summer and players will improve along the way.”

The 28-year-old will inherit a strong Oly Town FC, undefeated in the Northwest Division at their maiden USL W League season and garnered a national playoff spot. That Oly Town squad had several all-Americans and Olympic athletes, including goalkeepers Shu Ohba (Japan WNT, Ole Miss) and Neeku Purcell (United States WNT U-230, UCLA), and even had Stanford National Champion Mariah Lee, who left the club to sign for professional soccer in Australia.

“With the type of players Chris Wells brought in last year and what Ben Willis will add to the culture this season it should be an amazing 2024 season,” said Oly Town part owner Jason Smith. “Athletes committing to Oly Town should expect to grow as a player under Ben. He has a calm coaching style and I’m sure everyone will enjoy the journey this summer.”

Oly Town FC is awaiting the USL W League schedule for the summer of 2024, which is set to be released in mid-February, and anticipates being the only women’s team in Washington again.