Gotham FC has caught fire as the summer months warmed. The first-place Bats currently sit atop the NWSL standings with 40 points through 19 league matches and are riding a seven-game unbeaten streak.
Crucial to Gotham’s success has been the goalkeeping tandem of Ann-Katrin Berger and Shelby Hogan. The shot-stopping duo has collectively earned 12 shutouts, the most of any NWSL club.
Gotham is on pace to break the NWSL single-season record of 16 shutouts, set by the Kansas City Current in 2025 — but those numbers only tell part of the story. A goalkeeper’s matchday performance is often forged behind the scenes through detailed instruction on the training pitch and inside the film room.
Hogan and assistant goalkeeping coach Michelle Betos took South Ward Central inside the daily preparation and development plans that have helped make Gotham’s goalkeeping department the league’s best.
Alongside head goalkeeper coach Brody Sams, Betos is tasked with keeping Berger, Hogan and rookie goalkeeper Teagan Wy at their sharpest. Gotham’s fourth keeper, Ryan Campbell, is currently on loan at Lexington SC of the Gainbridge Super League.
How Gotham FC Prepares Every Goalkeeper To Be Ready To Step In
“I think our jobs as goalkeeper coaches are just to prepare every single one of them to be the best possible version of themselves and to be prepared to play,” Betos told South Ward Central. “The reality of this game, if you’ve seen it long enough, you’ve been a part of it long enough, is you never know.”
“It’s normal in the soccer world to say the No. 1 and the No. 2, but we don’t really see it that way. You could be the first [goalkeeper] that goes in, the second… you could even see the third come in. So, for us, our job is to leave no stone unturned for every one of them. Every one of them that’s available on the bench, your mindset is, when I go in today, what do I have to do? So any kind of film prep, our sessions the whole week are prepared for our opponent, and that’s not just for the one that is playing on the weekend, but it’s for the other two as well.”
Berger and Hogan Fuel Gotham’s 358-Minute Shutout Run
Hogan started in a pair of road matches against Bay FC on July 29 and the Houston Dash on August 1, where her clutch netminding secured back-to-back clean sheets while Berger was being rested.
“We brought Shelby knowing she’s a No. 1 in this league,” Betos stated. “She proved that in Portland. She’s proven that when she’s played for us. So it’s a huge luxury. We don’t take it lightly.
“I think something really impressive about Shelby is that while her game time has been less over the past two years than it was before she came to Gotham, she is, in my opinion, and I think probably statistically, grown so much as a goalkeeper. That’s just a testament to her hard work, her perseverance, the way she shows up every day. It’s really a privilege to work with somebody like that, and it’s a privilege to the club to have that caliber of player available.”
Berger returned to action in Friday’s 1-0 victory over the visiting San Diego Wave FC, which extended Gotham’s shutout streak to three consecutive matches. The Bats have now held opponents scoreless for 358 minutes, dating back to the 54th minute of a 2-2 road draw against Portland on July 24.
How Betos and Sams Keep Gotham’s Goalkeeping Unit Sharp
Though Berger is undoubtedly one of the world’s best between the posts, Hogan and Wy are always prepared to step in at a moment’s notice.
“Teagan’s a rookie, Ann’s a veteran, she’s been doing this a long time, Shelby’s in that middle ground, and Ryan’s now going to get her first real pro experience as a starter,” Betos explained. “While it’s incredibly fun, it’s challenging, but our jobs, and the reason there’s two of us, especially, is to really meet them where they’re at and recognize what’s your strength, what’s your weakness.
“We train them all together, but we also have IDP (individual development plans) for each one of them, but it’s also very, very holistic. Our approach is very holistic, so we’re never talking to a goalkeeper and just talking about their goalkeeping.
“We’re talking about their gym program and working with the strength and conditioning to specify what each player needs, because even though they all play the same position, their needs are different. It’s nutrition, it’s the psychological aspects. Every single one of them is different, and preparing them in that way and growing them in that way.
“It’s recovery, meeting them where they are as players and people. It’s a lot of work, but it’s really rewarding, and there are four great goalkeepers who really bought into the process, so I think that makes it much easier as well.”
Hogan Approaches Every Day With the Mentality of No. 1 Keeper
That individualized approach is especially important for Hogan’s development. The 28-year-old often spends much of her time waiting for opportunities while still being expected to perform like a No. 1 goalkeeper when Berger is injured or unavailable.
“I’ve been a number one in this league before, so I think I understand what it takes when you need to step into that role,” Hogan told South Ward Central. “Here, I’ve always been asked to be prepared, whether it’s being on the bench as a No. 2 and needing to step into a game if someone goes down or just being ready when my name is called to start a game right off the bat.
“So I think just like in training, just treating it like I am the No. 1 and not with any type of arrogance or anything, but just knowing that I’m capable of that position. I feel like that’s just how I’ve approached it.”
How Hogan Is Learning From One of the World’s Best
Hogan appreciates the details provided by Betos and Sams and the unique advice offered by Berger, who won the Women’s Super League four times with Chelsea and helped guide Gotham to capturing the 2025 NWSL Championship.
“I’ve known this whole time that I have the support and confidence of Ann,” Hogan stated. “I’ve had the support and confidence of my coaches and my teammates. So I think being able to step in and being able to show what I can do has been great.
“It was a huge reason why I wanted to come to Gotham, not just because of having two great goalkeeper coaches, but I think to be able to look up to every single day one of the best goalkeepers in the whole world, that’s been such an honor. She’s become a good friend of mine.
“Every single day, we have so many conversations about the game, and just seeing the game through her perspective has been huge for my growth. Even when I’m stepping in, I know she’s supporting me. She’s texting me at halftime, giving me tips. So it’s been huge being able to look up to her and just see her daily process.”
For Gotham, the strength of its goalkeeping position is not measured solely by the world-class brilliance of Berger. Instead, it’s measured by how Berger, Hogan, Wy and Campbell have combined and driven each other to be greater.
With 12 shutouts already in the books and a league record within reach, the Bats’ goalkeeping success has been a pillar within the club’s push to end the 2026 campaign with a first NWSL Shield and a repeat raising of the NWSL championship trophy.
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