D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsen has been with D.C. United since the beginning. He joined D.C. United as a player on December 27, 1997 and went on to play over 200 matches with the club and helped contribute to three MLS Cup trophies. In 2010, he transitioned into an assistant coaching role and was thrust into the spotlight as the interim head coach after the departure of Head Coach Curt Onlafo.
But he handled the spotlight well. In 2012, D.C. United returned to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in five years. In 2013, he guided the team to a Lamar Hunt U.S Open Cup and the following season the team went from worst to first and won the Eastern Conference in 2014. Olsen also led his team to appearances in the CONCACAF Champions League in 2014 and 2015.
In 2018, he experienced a new milestone for the club: the opening of Audi Field. Finally, D.C. United had a place in the District to call their own and the impact of such a space was immediately noticeable. During the 2018 season, the Black-and-Red pulled themselves up from the bottom of the Eastern Conference to earn a playoff spot. They went out in the Knockout Round to the Columbus Crew, but despite their disappointment, Olsen was quick to point out that the playoff match at Audi Field was part of a new beginning.
“What these guys did to set the right tone and foundation for Audi Field, and the next generation of D.C. United. I'm extremely proud of them for doing that,” Head Coach Ben Olsen said after the loss to Columbus. “They’ve got this city interested again in soccer and our team, and I very much look forward to getting back here next year and working with this group, and building, and continuing to play this type of style with this type of team at Audi Field next year.”
When Audi Field opened in July, Olsen said that being in this stadium would be one of the great joys of his life. “It’s a time of excitement, a time of turning the page,” Olsen said. “It’s going to change everything with this club.”
During the offseason, Olsen signed a contract extension that will keep him at D.C. United until 2021. This gives him the opportunity to continue to define what this club will be in the Audi Field era. But while the new stadium gives the Black-and-Red an opportunity for a new chapter in history, the club’s goals remain the same.
“Our aim is to continue to put a team on the field that our fans and community will identify with and be proud of,” Olsen said. “The major goal, however, remains the same since the day I took the job and that’s to bring trophies back to D.C.”
