After ten years, longtime Douglas College Women’s Soccer head coach Chris Laxton will be stepping down as head coach of the program. Laxton will be stepping down to spend more time with his family. 

“It has been the honour of a lifetime to have led the Douglas College Royals program for the past 10 years” said Laxton. “This opportunity has meant the world to me and has shaped me into the person, coach, father, and husband I am today. I'm forever grateful for the friendships and connections I've made in this role.” 

Laxton was named head coach for the 2014 season and immediately turned around the program, posting a win-tie-loss record of 10-1-4 in his first season. His tenure at Douglas ends with an overall record of 62-21-28, three PACWEST championships, and five trips to the CCAA National Championship, which includes a berth in 2023 after winning the 2023 PACWEST championship. He also helped achieve the program’s best finish at the CCAA National Championship of a bronze medal back in 2016. 

“I feel that we merely provided the direction and guidance to allow our student-athletes to set the culture they wanted, which included having safe, positive, inclusive, and enjoyable experiences,” said Laxton on the culture he’s set with the program. “I felt it was important to let our leaders lead and our coaches coach, and I hope that when leaving the program, everyone felt they were able to leave their fingerprints on the program whilst being their best selves.” 

Douglas will be announcing a new head coach for the program in the coming weeks. The team will be looking to defend its PACWEST title next season, with the first games tentatively scheduled for the first weekend of the 2024 fall semester. The program will be announcing new recruits throughout the next few months.