Gotham FC Media Day: Questions and answers with some of the players | OneFootball

As preparations for 2026 continue to ramp up, NJ/NY Gotham FC held their preseason Media Day event with players Jaelin Howell, 2025 Rookie of the Year Lilly Reale, and Jaedyn Shaw, who arguably had the Quote of the Year from the previous season. She was also vital to the NWSL Championship and the entire playoff run.

All three spoke in front of assembled media before being made available for short one-on-one interviews. Skyscraper Blues was able to interview the Bats. So, here is what they had to say about the season just past, and the season up ahead.

Gotham FC questions and answers

Jaelin Howell

JH: "Tip of the iceberg, it just looks like we won two championships, I had a great year, and I'm super thankful and blessed for that, but there's a lot of hard work behind the scenes, a lot of ups and downs for us. Like I said me personally, just throughout my career as a pro, so just being able to [make] all of that come to fruition for me was really special."

"And I think just as a team, it just shows the character of this team and the character of the club and how when times got tough we were able to come on top and I think that just shows that no matter what if we work hard together that we're capable of winning championships and I think that's what this group is about."

Q: Last year, you signed a two-year contract extension. How quickly into the season did you know you wanted to re-sign here?

JH: "Very quickly. Gotham had always been a team that I was interested in, and once I got here and met the coaching staff and saw how much they were invested in me, and I got to know Juan very quickly, saw the world-class players that I would play with every day, it was a very easy decision. And we have incredible owners that are going to invest in and grow the club, which I think is really important in our league right now."

Q: Last year, you scored four goals after having scored zero league goals in your whole career. Where did that goalscoring come from?

JH: "I think I always had the capability to strike from distance, and it's something I've always worked on. I think the difference this year was the coaches' belief in me to do so and allowing me the freedom to go up the field, take shots, and not be afraid to do so. I think that's the main difference about being on this team with this coaching staff is just how they've allowed me to be me and play my game.

JH: The left-footed volley against Orlando. Even as a six, you would think I'm not working on volleys, but I actually love working on volleys! And I had a lot of girls texting me after the game, saying, 'Wow! You finally pulled it off!' And so that was probably my favorite."

Q: How exciting is the chance to play close to home in Denver for the first time as a pro?

JH: "I think it's amazing! I've always said that Denver would be a great market and how fans would show up. It's also kind of a hotbed with players like Lindsey Heaps, Mallory Swanson, Sophia Wilson, and just everybody coming out of there. And it is just going to be exciting for me and have family come to games."

Lilly Reale

Q: General reflections you have on last year?

Reale: "I think there were definitely so many ups and downs throughout the year, and everyone I talked to says that that's going to be the case, no matter if you're playing or not, you're always going to, not struggle throughout your rookie year, but that there are going to be many highs and many lows. So I definitely felt that this year, but I wouldn't trade it for the world."

"I'm someone who can appreciate the journey, and for it to end in a championship made it that much more special. For me, it has always been about trying to learn and push yourself to grow each year, and I felt like I got that out of 2025 by just being able to lean on the girls and coaches around me, and I'm excited to do it again this year and continue to try and evolve."

Q: Was their anything in or off the field that was either easier or harder than you expected?

LR: "Being able to maximize your time and keep a good routine with all of the travel was hard. It's something that took me a bit of time throughout last year to fit film, recovery, meetings, and still maintain relationships with friends and family while pursuing success in this league. And then I also think nothing really prepares you for the transition from college to [the] pros in terms of the style and speed of play. That was definitely an adjustment, but it's been awesome."

Q: You were part of a big rookie class last year. How helpful was having others in the same position as you and being able to lean on them?

LR: "I think it was an incredible year with the rookie class. I'm also excited to see some of them step into bigger roles this year and show why Gotham chose to sign them. Not that they didn't show that last year, but 2025 was a year of growth and learning and being able to, like you said, lean on one another when need be. It always helps having familiar faces when coming from college, and it's just nice to have a 'turn your brain off' type of relationship with them, so that's been great."

LR: "Again, it looks like another talented group. Gotham does a great job of not just picking incredible athletes but players who are great people as well. So being able to get to know them as both players on the field and as people off of it has been great."

LR: "I'm really excited to not only see some of my friends and family but also play in an area that I grew up in. The last time I got to play in that area close to home was towards the end of high school, so it's going to be really special."

Jaedyn Shaw

Q: How much of a whirlwind were the two months between being traded to Gotham and the Championship win in November?

Shaw: "It was definitely crazy. I think it was kind of fun being thrown into the lion's den by going to a new team, then playing your old team, then playing some more games, and then playing your other old team, and then going into the playoffs. It was definitely a whirlwind to say the least, but I think I've had some really great people around to help me deal with it with grace and enjoy the process as well."

JS: "I feel like I fully stand by it. I think in the moment we fully stood behind it, and we lived through it, obviously going through to winning a championship, so I don't regret it at all."

JS: "It opened up this offseason, and while I loved having number 2, the history of the number 10 means a lot. Obviously, numbers are numbers, but having the number 10 shirt is something I've always had close to my heart, and I'm going to try and represent it as best as I can. I really appreciate the club asking if I wanted to wear it this season."