{{Short description|American soccer coach (born 1979)}} {{Infobox football biography |embed = |name = Kris Ward |image = |image_size = |alt = |caption = |fullname = |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|11|20}}<ref>{{cite tweet |author=Washington Spirit |author-link=Washington Spirit |user=WashSpirit |number=1462058148592824320 |date=November 20, 2021 |title=Double the birthdays, double the fun! Happy birthday @KWardSpirit |access-date=January 7, 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220107020338/https://twitter.com/WashSpirit/status/1462058148592824320 |archive-date=January 7, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Goff |first=Steven |author-link=Steven Goff |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/12/20/kris-ward-permanent-spirit-coach/ |title=Washington Spirit promotes Kris Ward to permanent head coach |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 20, 2021 |access-date=January 7, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107020543/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/12/20/kris-ward-permanent-spirit-coach/ |archive-date=January 7, 2022 |quote=Ward, 42, took over in mid-August...}}</ref> |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = |height = |position = |currentclub = |youthyears1 = |youthclubs1 = |collegeyears1 = 1998–1999 |college1 = Union University Bulldogs |collegecaps1 = |collegegoals1 = |years1 = |clubs1 = |caps1 = |goals1 = |totalcaps = |totalgoals = |nationalyears1 = |nationalteam1 = |nationalcaps1 = |nationalgoals1 = |medaltemplates = |manageryears1 = 2004–2007 |managerclubs1 = St. Mary's Seahawks men (assistant) |manageryears2 = 2004–2010 |managerclubs2 = Washington Freedom (assistant) |manageryears3 = 2013 |managerclubs3 = Washington Spirit (assistant) |manageryears4 = 2020–2021 |managerclubs4 = Washington Spirit (assistant) |manageryears5 = 2021 |managerclubs5 = Washington Spirit (interim) |manageryears6 = 2022 |managerclubs6 = Washington Spirit }}
'''Kris Ward''' (born November 20, 1979) is an American soccer coach. He was most recently the head coach of the Washington Spirit in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
==Coaching career== Ward re-joined Washington Spirit as an assistant coach in August 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://washingtonspirit.com/2020/08/24/kris-ward-joins-spirit-technical-staff-as-assistant-coach/|title=Kris Ward joins Spirit Technical Staff as Assistant Coach » Washington Spirit|first=Mason|last=Cavalier|date=August 24, 2020}}</ref> After the Spirit's former head coach Richie Burke was suspended in August 2021, Ward served as acting head coach for the rest of the 2021 NWSL season and led the team to an NWSL Championship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://keepernotes.com/2021/11/21/four-things-i-learned-at-the-2021-nwsl-championship/|title=Four Things I Learned at the 2021 NWSL Championship|first=Jen|last=Cooper|date=November 21, 2021}}</ref> In December 2021, Ward was named the permanent head coach.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://washingtonspirit.com/2021/12/20/washington-spirit-name-kris-ward-permanent-head-coach/|title=Washington Spirit Name Kris Ward Permanent Head Coach » Washington Spirit|first=Jordan|last=Small|date=December 20, 2021}}</ref>
On August 22, 2022, with the team holding a {{win-loss record|w=1|d=9|l=6}} record and on 12 points, second-fewest in the NWSL, the Spirit announced that Ward had been relieved of his duties with six games remaining in the season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/2022/08/22/washington-spirit-fire-head-coach-kris-ward/ |title=Washington Spirit abruptly fire head coach Kris Ward |date=August 22, 2022 |access-date=August 22, 2022 |publisher=USA Today |work=Pro Soccer Wire |first=Seth |last=Vertelney}}</ref> On January 24, 2023, it was revealed Ward was banned from coaching in the NWSL due to abusive conduct while with the Spirit.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former Spirit coach Kris Ward banned indefinitely from NWSL |url=https://justwomenssports.com/article/nwsl-misconduct-washington-spirit-kris-ward-ban/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=Just Women's Sports |date=24 January 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Coaching honors== '''Washington Spirit''' * NWSL Championship: 2021
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{soccerway|kris-ward/765292}} * [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-ward-58800923/ LinkedIn profile]
{{Washington Spirit managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Kris}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:Union University alumni Category:Washington Spirit head coaches Category:Washington Freedom (soccer) non-playing staff Category:St. Mary's Seahawks Category:American soccer coaches Category:National Women's Soccer League head coaches
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