Juan Carlos Amorós, head coach of the top-ranked Gotham FC women's soccer team, took five weeks of paternity leave in the middle of the season following the birth of his second child. Amorós stated that while there is never a perfect time to step away from a team, his experience with his first child in 2021 led him to prioritize family for the birth of his daughter, Laia, in April.
In 2021, Amorós was coaching Real Betis Féminas in Spain. His son, Luka, was born on a Thursday, and Amorós coached a game the night before while his wife was in the hospital. He spent Friday at home with his new family and returned to the pitch on Saturday. Despite Spain offering 16 weeks of parental leave to both parents, Amorós felt unable to take it due to the team's struggling performance and a lack of adequate support structures.
"To this day, I regret not being able to be the husband and father that my family needed during such a critical period," Amorós wrote. "I wanted to be in two places at once, but in the end, I let my wife and son down."
Four years later, with his second child, Laia, on the way, Amorós and his family had moved from Spain to New York. His wife, Laura, had made significant career sacrifices to support his coaching career and raise their son. Amorós had also built a stable and successful tenure with Gotham FC over three years, supported by a trusted coaching staff.
Initially, Amorós planned to take only a few days off or miss occasional trips, with relatives traveling from overseas to assist. However, by June, as the family's support network began to dwindle and his son started summer break, Amorós realized the necessity of taking a more extended leave. He felt it was crucial to be present for his children and his wife, who had endured a difficult childbirth.
"Having this time together has allowed us to settle into life as a family of four," Amorós explained. "It has strengthened our bonds, eased some of the stress and given Laura the space to recover. More than anything, I’ve been able to be present for my children in a way I haven’t before."
Amorós credited the stability and established foundation at Gotham FC for making his leave possible. He expressed confidence in his assistant coach, Shaun Harris, and the technical team's ability to manage the team in his absence. He also thanked Gotham FC's controlling owner, Carolyn Tisch, and the entire club for their support, and appreciated the players' understanding.
He noted that taking paternity leave can still be a challenging decision for men in the United States, a country that values both hard work and family. Amorós hopes that by sharing his experience, he can encourage other fathers to feel empowered to take the necessary time for their families.
"Because you can’t go back," he stated. "Sometimes in life, there are things that, if you miss them, you miss them forever. I think we should all think about what we can do again later and what we can’t."