Data analyst.
It’s a position that may sound more suited to a science lab than a soccer pitch, one that the average soccer fan may not know. But to people like club president Darren Eales and technical director Carlos Bocanegra, it’s a vital piece of the red, black and gold puzzle. And to Lucy Rushton, Atlanta United’s data analyst, it was a way to make a difference in the game she’s always loved.
“I was never going to make it as a professional player, and being a woman, my opportunities to get into professional soccer were limited to begin with. So, I saw data analysis as an amazing way to be involved in the game, being able to impact performance while not directly playing and coaching.”
So what does a data analyst do? It’s about looking deeper into the game at the underlying statistics to gain every advantage the team can. Whether that’s scouting opponents or potential transfer targets, Lucy’s job is to give the coaching staff all the information they can in order to make the best decisions for the team.
“Research shows when a coach watches a soccer game, they only retains about 15% of what they saw, and that is usually going to be the very good or very bad. So, we want to help paint the whole picture. I’m not saying we go sign someone just because they have a high passing percentage."
"We just want to approach these things with confidence and say, yes he ticks the boxes for us subjectively but also objectively as well.”
That’s especially important with player acquisitions. In a league like MLS that has a salary cap, making sure your money is well-spent can make or break a team, especially in its first ever season.
“For a prospective target, we go in-depth with the data. Then we watch them play, we look into their personal background and history, we look at their social media. That way we can gauge the player as a whole: their personality as well as what they’re like on the pitch. That’s massive for us."
"We’re creating a culture here and they need to fit into that.”
The truth is Lucy never envisioned herself coming to Atlanta, or the United States for that matter. A native of Reading, England – about an hour drive west of London – Lucy had her dream job working for her childhood club, Reading FC in England’s second division. But one phone call convinced her that this was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.
“As soon as I spoke to Darren and Carlos and they showed me the vision for the club and Arthur Blank’s principals, you could see straight away that this was a club that was taking the whole thing seriously. And how many opportunities do you get to build a team from scratch with a blank canvas?"
"That is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I said, ‘That’s it. I want to go there.’”
While Lucy fell in love with Atlanta quickly, there were some adjustments she had to make moving across the pond. Driving on the right side of the road and learning about Southern food delicacies were the start, but that famous Southern hospitality was a pleasant – albeit jarring – surprise.
“I remember walking down the street and being almost skeptical because people were stopping to say hi and good morning – people walk with their head down in England!"
"People are so much friendlier and more welcoming here and I’ve found life is just so much more laid-back and relaxed.”
Another surprise for her has been the unbelievable support of the Atlanta United faithful. Any concerns she held about MLS crowds matching the intensity of those in her home country completely disintegrated after witnessing the first sold-out match. With over 55,000 in attendance, it was the fourth largest soccer crowd in the world that weekend.
“The support of the city has been unreal, to get 45,000 people at every game. I’ve been involved in big games in England: FA Cup semifinals, Championship playoff finals, big Premier League games. The atmosphere and support here has been equal or better than anything that I experienced in England.”
And in that passionate crowd, Lucy feels at home. And that’s what Atlanta is now, with an even brighter future still to come.
“It has surpassed all expectations, and I can’t wait to get to our new stadium to see what it’s like and what the future holds for us.”
© 2026 Atlanta United FC
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