The National Women's Soccer League ( NWSL ) has been urged by a former San Diego Wave employee to remove Jill Ellis with immediate effect after claiming that the club's president is impacting the mental health of staff .
Ellis, San Diego Wave president and former United States women's national team head coach , has held her current position since the club was founded in 2021 after being given an expansion by the NWSL . The team finished first in the regular season standings in its second year but is struggling this season and recently parted ways with head coach Casey Stoney unexpectedly.
Brittany Alvarado, who was a video and creative manager at the Wave, resigned from the club on June 7 and shared an alleged abusive email sent to her from a senior member of the team. "You are the most pathetic person I've ever met," the email read from an anonymous employee. "You must have no sense of work ethics or integrity. We are ecstatic you are no longer with the club."
The alleged email was just the tip of the iceberg, according to Alvarado, who decided to go public with her allegations regarding the treatment of employees. Alvarado claimed she was one of over 30 employees to be fired or resign from the club since its inception.
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"Since 2014, I have dedicated my career to building the National Women's Soccer League, while becoming increasingly aware of the challenges and mistreatment faced by the women who give their all to this sport," Alvarado began her statement. "Driven by a steadfast commitment to positive change, I made it my mission to harness my creative abilities to amplify the voices of these incredible athletes, aiming to foster growth through genuine human connection.
"Last year, I moved from Charlotte to San Diego, CA to join the San Diego Wave Fútbol Club, with big dreams and high expectations. It was an honor to work with the players on the team and coaching staff, particularly former Head Coach Casey Stoney. Casey was an influential leader who always looked out for others, commanding the locker room and inspiring me as an LGBTQ+ member.
"The team embraced me wholeheartedly, forging a deep bond of trust as we navigated the triumphs and challenges of the 2023 season together. San Diego Wave was ostensibly founded on principles of equity, championing women and minorities in leadership, and prioritizing mental health and well-being. Yet, the reality for myself and many others working for this club starkly contradicts these claims.
"Despite its public proclamations, the organization often perpetuated discrimination against women and demonstrated a complete disregard for their long-term mental health. Since the team's inception, over 30 employees have been fired or quit, with nearly 75 percent of them being women, underscoring the deep issues within the club. Sadly, many of these employees are hesitant to speak publicly about their experiences, reflecting the widespread fear surrounding these issues.
"Regardless of repeatedly highlighting these pervasive issues to the NWSL, the league has consistently failed to take meaningful action and has instead turned a blind eye to a pattern of profoundly damaging behaviors. Their investigations into these matters were notably negligent, further exacerbating the disregard for the well-being of those affected.
"On behalf of myself and my former colleagues, the treatment we endured under club President Jill Ellis has been nothing short of life-altering and devastating to our mental health. She has compromised countless lives to advance her narcissistic personal agenda, fostering an environment where abusive behaviors among her subordinates are allowed to flourish.
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"The NWSL must take immediate action to remove Jill Ellis from both the San Diego Wave and the league entirely to finally protect the staff and players they have neglected and ignored for far too long. Moreover, the league has failed to fully address and implement recommendations from the Sally Yates Report and the NWSLPA Joint Investigation from 2022.
"Every day of inaction further validates the dangerous illusion that the NWSL has properly addressed the pervasive issue of abusive leadership. Jill Ellis has no place in this game, and she has been excused for far too long. Despite my unwavering dedication to my job and the sport of women's soccer, I found myself trapped in an environment where my mental health was relentlessly compromised.
"It became agonizingly clear that to protect my well-being, I had no choice but to walk away from my dream job with Wave FC. Resigning wasn't merely a professional decision; it was a gut-wrenching personal sacrifice, to prioritize my mental health over the career path I had poured my heart and soul into. Now, from the outside, I am resolute in my mission to spearhead a movement ensuring that mental health is unequivocally prioritized in the NWSL and beyond.
"Silence is complicity, and I am speaking out to ensure that current and future staff members and players at San Diego Wave do not have to be burdened by the same experiences that are adversely impacting myself and many other former employees' lives today. It is time for accountability and decisive action to safeguard the well-being of everyone involved in this sport. Sincerely, Brittany Alvarado. Former Video and Creative Manager."
The statement has been live for two hours at the time of writing and has already been seen by 330,000 users on X - formerly known as Twitter. Alvarado has received mass support in the replies, but the NWSL, the Wave, or Ellis have yet to respond.
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