Mike Norris was appointed Thorns FC head coach ahead of the 2023 NWSL season, taking the helm as the fifth head coach in club history.
Norris joined the staff ahead of the 2022 season. In his first season, Norris helped Portland win the club’s third NWSL Championship. Thorns FC finished second in the NWSL table with a record of 10-3-9 and made a sixth consecutive trip to the NWSL postseason. Statistically, Portland scored a league-best 45 goals, the third-most goals in a single season in NWSL history and posted a +25-goal differential.
Prior to his arrival in Portland, Norris spent eight years with Canada Soccer in numerous capacities. From 2019-2021, Norris served as the set play and goalkeeper coach for the Canada Women’s National Team. During that time, Canada won a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
From 2014-19, Norris coached with the U-17 and U-20 women’s national teams for Canada. He was as an assistant coach with the U-17s and the goalkeeping coach and interim head coach with the U-20s, while also providing support to the senior team during qualification tournaments. In addition, Norris worked as the head goalkeeping coach for the U-14 and U-15 Vancouver Whitecaps FC Boys Residency teams (2014-16).
A native of Newcastle, England, Norris has made his home in Burnaby, B.C. since 2006 with his wife and two daughters.