On an over 90-degree Sunday in May a group of young women, under the firm but gentle guidance of head coach Ashlee Fontes, gathers to practice in front of a small crowd in Gene Cox Stadium, before their next game.
The sun is beaming, and Fontes, in her pregame black shorts and grey t-shirt, guides her players through stretching, drills, and workouts.
“I saw a need that was missing in Tallahassee, just because of the work that I’ve done in the national landscape over the last 30 years as a player, a coach, as an executive.”
Fontes leads the Tallahassee Reckoning, which launched in May 2024 as part of the USL-W league, a pre-professional organization which serves as a space between the collegiate and professional soccer levels. Women can retain their eligibility at the college level while also competing at the pre-professional level during summers with a goal of eventually turning pro.
“I saw a need that was missing in Tallahassee, just because of the work that I’ve done in the national landscape over the last 30 years as a player, a coach, as an executive,” said Fontes, who played at Florida State University from 1999 to 2002, and later served as a volunteer on the U.S. Soccer Appeals Committee.
The Reckoning scored its first playoff bid in June, falling to Ashville City, 3-1.
“Just knowing how many leaders are in women’s soccer, playing with them my whole life, it makes a lot of sense that there are women out there who played the sport, love the sport, and just want to empower young women to follow their dreams. And I think that’s really inspiring to me,” said 23-year-old Lauren Bastian, who wears #4 on her pink jersey.
Now at the end of its 2025 season, The Reckoning has two players in the top five rankings league-wide for scoring, with another two players top ranked for assists. The Reckoning finished as the second-ranked team for goals, and second overall in the Southeast Division.
“TLH Reckoning is something you really want to invest in because it’s not just an investment in girls’ soccer here in Tallahassee, it’s an investment in the future of women and girls anywhere,” said Number 11, Natalie Nelson. Fontes, whose dream launched the franchise, agrees.
“For me, this means opportunity. For me this means, you know, how it started with a simple yet powerful belief that every girl deserves to dream,” Fontes says about her team, as they look to the future.
