Canada Soccer appoints Jen Herst as new Women's Under-17 Head Coach and Women’s Youth Excel Program Lead
Herst will guide Canada’s next generation of elite players
Canada Soccer announced today the appointment of Jen Herst as Head Coach of the Women’s Under-17 National Team (CANW17) and Women’s Youth Excel Program Lead.
Herst began acting in the role earlier this summer, leading CANW17 at the Four Nations Tournament in Mexico, where Canada earned strong results against elite opposition, drawing 1:1 with the USA (loss on penalties), 0:0 with Mexico (win on penalties), and defeating Costa Rica 2:0. She will continue to guide the team through preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025™, scheduled to take place from 17 October to 8 November 2025.
“I’m incredibly excited for the future of women’s soccer in Canada. There is exceptional talent across the country, and I’m committed to help nurture and elevate that potential. This is a pivotal stage in our development pathway, and I look forward to shaping a system that reflects the diversity, ambition, and excellence of our nation.”
- Jen Herst, U17 Women’s Head Coach - Women’s Youth Excel Program Lead
Herst brings more than a decade of high-performance experience, having coached at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™, where she oversaw goalkeeping and set-piece strategy for Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team. She has also contributed her expertise internationally with The Football Association and the Football Association of Wales, and at leading clubs including Liverpool, Manchester City, and Everton
A trailblazer in her field, Herst became the youngest female to earn the UEFA Goalkeeping A Diploma and was named The Football Association’s Professional Game - Female Development/Talent Coach of the Year in 2014.
“We are excited to welcome Jen Herst as she leads our next generation of players and continues to build out the impressive talent pipeline for our National Team. We also thank Gary Moody for his invaluable leadership as interim head coach during this transition.”
- Kevin Blue, Canada Soccer CEO and General Secretary
Herst holds an Honors B.A. in Sport Development from Edge Hill University, her UEFA ‘A’ and ‘B’ licences and is a long-time Montréal resident currently in the process of obtaining Canadian citizenship.