Coaching Crossover

In Episode 9 of Coaching Crossover, we head to Southern California for an all-UCLA episode featuring women's softball head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez and football offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy. Kelly Inouye-Perez is a legend and ambassador for the game of women's softball. She is the only person to win an NCAA Softball Championship as both a player and a coach. As a catcher at UCLA, she won three national championships. Since 2007, Inouye-Perez has guided the Bruins to five appearances in the Women's College World Series, including two championships in 2010 and 2019. UCLA has reached the Division I Softball Tournament every year during her tenure. This season, she became the all-time winningest coach in the history of the program. Beyond wins and titles, Inouye-Perez is widely admired for her commitment to mentorship, academic success, and empowering student-athletes both on and off the field. Dean Kennedy is in his first season with the UCLA football program. He joined alongside head coach Bob Chesney and was hired as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach this past offseason. Kennedy and Chesney have worked together at several stops, including James Madison, where Kennedy has served as offensive coordinator since 2023. Last season, his offense led the Dukes to their first appearance in the College Football Playoff and a perfect 8–0 conference record, just the 10th such season in Sun Belt history. His coaching approach emphasizes fundamentals, preparation, and accountability, helping student-athletes maximize their performance on the field while maintaining strong standards off it. Listen as we discuss the remarkable history of sport at UCLA, why effective communication is key to coaching and player development, and how to build trust between coaches and players alike.

In episode 8 of Coaching Crossover we feature Ed Comeau, head coach of the Georgia Swarm of the National Lacrosse League and Stubby Clapp, first base coach for the St Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball. Ed Comeau is a Hamilton, Ontario native who started coaching with the Toronto Rock under legendary coach Les Bartley. He then went on to win the Les Bartley Coach Award in 2017. Comeau won four Champions Cups with the Rock and has captured two at the helm of the Storm and is one of only four coaches in NLL history with 100+ wins. He has also served as the General Manager of Canada's Men's Indoor Lacrosse Team and been head coach for the Gold Medal winning Canadian team at the 2015 World Indoor Lacross Championships. Comeau was most recently named to the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2024. Stubby Clapp played in the Major Leagues with the Cardinals and then went back into baseball as a coach, starting in A-Ball and working his way back to the Majors. He was 2017 and 2018 Manager of the Year with the Cardinals AAA team in Memphis and is a staple in Canadian baseball history, having represented Canada as a player in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics, the 2006 World Baseball Classic and, most famously, in the 1999 Pan-Am Games where his single with the bases loaded helped Canada beat a heavily-favoured US team. He also served as a base coach for Canada's World Baseball Classic team this past March. We discuss representing your country on a global level, the grind of a season for a coach and how each coach would like to see their sport improve.

In episode 7 of Coaching Crossover we brought two old acquaintances back together from the U Sports world, which offers yet another case and point that coaching, no matter the sport, is a very small community. Chantal Vallée is one of the most accomplished figures in Canadian university basketball. Taking over the University of Windsor program in 2005, Vallée built the Lancers into a national powerhouse, leading them to five U Sports Women's Basketball Championship titles (2011-2016) and establishing one of the most dominant dynasties in Canadian collegiate sport. Known for her intense competitiveness, defensive-minded systems, and emphasis on culture and accountability, she has earned multiple Coach of the Year honors and widespread respect across the basketball community. Vallée was the recipient of the prestigious Athena Award in 2012 for contributions to her community and mentoring future women leaders and in 2013, she was presented with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee medal. Since taking over as head coach for Trinity Western in 1999, he has established the Spartans as one of the top programs in U Sports. He has guided the TWU to five U SPORTS national championships and eight Canada West gold medals. He was named U Sports Coach of the Year in 2011 and has been named Canada West Coach of the Year five times. Roxburgh has twice been the head coach for Canada's women's soccer team at the Summer Universiade, including 2009, where his team finished seventh, and in 2011, where his team finished fifth. Roxburgh also serves as the director of TeamUp, which works to "partner, collaborate and come alongside local organizations, and use sports either as a catalyst for the beginning of sustainable impact, or a component of a long-term community development strategy." Both coaches connected in the past through their philanthropy and in this conversation, we will talk about that work, what their recruitment trail looks like and holding onto a championship culture with roster turnover.

In episode 6 of Coaching Crossover we feature legends from the dugouts of Major League Baseball and behind the bench of Canada's hockey program. Clint Hurdle is a former Major League Baseball player and manager known for his leadership and player-development approach. A first overall pick in the 1975 MLB Draft, Hurdle played 10 seasons in the majors with the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets before transitioning into coaching. He gained national recognition as manager of the Colorado Rockies, leading the club to its first-ever World Series appearance in 2007. Hurdle later managed the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2011 to 2019, guiding the team to three consecutive playoff appearances and earning National League Manager of the Year Award honors in 2013. Hurdle has built a reputation as a respected leader and mentor throughout professional baseball. Dave King is one of Canada's most respected hockey coaches, with a career spanning more than four decades across international, collegiate, and professional levels. He first rose to prominence with University of Saskatchewan Huskies Men's Ice Hockey, leading the program to a national championship in 1983 before becoming head coach and general manager of Hockey Canada's men's national team program. King coached Canada at three Olympic Games, won a silver medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics, and led the country to gold at the 1982 World Junior Championships. At the professional level he served as head coach of the Calgary Flames and the inaugural coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets. King has had a lasting impact on coaching development and was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame. Together we'll discuss a mutual respect for each other's sport, relying on instincts over data, and the challenge of in-game decision making.

In episode 5 of Coaching Crossover, we merge the CFL and the NBA with our two fantastic guests, Buck Pierce and Jesse Mermuys. Buck Pierce is the Head Coach of the BC Lions and one of the Canadian Football League's most respected offensive minds. A former CFL quarterback, Pierce began his playing career with the Lions before going on to win a Grey Cup championship with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2019. Pierce held the position of offensive coordinator of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, a team that went to four straight Grey Cups, winning in 2019 and 2021. Now heading into his second season leading the Lions, he has the franchise positioned as a competitive force in the West Division. Jesse Mermuys is an Assistant Coach with the Phoenix Suns and a veteran NBA coach known for his defensive expertise and player development work. A mainstay on NBA coaching staffs since 2008, Mermuys has built a strong résumé across the league with roles for the Toronto Raptors, LA Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings, and currently the Suns, which he joined in July of 2025. For the 2015-2016 season, Mermuys served as the Raptors 905 D-League team as their Head Coach and Assistant General Manager.  Today we'll talk about being an assistant coach and what is expected of you of your head coach, building a foundation of a team, overcoaching and using analytics.

In episode 4 of Coaching Crossover, we welcome Giovanni Guidetti and Greg Hamilton, two coaches who are guiding Canadian programs to their biggest stages in sport. Giovanni is the coach of Canada's women's national volleyball team. He's also been the coach of a club team in Turkey since 2008. On a national level, he has coached in Bulgaria, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey, Serbia and now in Canada, hoping to get the women's team to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Under the leadership of Guidetti, the Turkish National Team qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and the team reached quarters for first time in Olympics history. He also served as Italy's vice coach in the 1998 World Championships in Japan and the 2000 Summer Olympics in Australia. Meanwhile, Greg Hamilton has been a national team coach with Baseball Canada for over 30 years, working with the Junior National Team since 1999. With the program, he's won two WBSC U18 Baseball World Cup bronze medals and one silver medal. His group has also won three Pan Am Games medals, including gold in 2011 and 2015, two Olympic Games in 2004 and 2008 and all four World Baseball Classic events. Today we'll talk about the differences in athlete development between Canada and other countries, coaching with empathy, and identifying young talent and building team chemistry

In episode 3 of Coaching Crossover, we have a treat for you as we welcome guests from the football and soccer worlds. Brandon Lynch is the Cornerbacks Coach for the Cleveland Browns and a former NFL defensive back. He is joined by Mitch Hildebrandt, a former pro goalkeeper who now works as an assistant coach for the Philadelphia Union of the MLS. Lynch joined the Browns' coaching staff in 2020 as Assistant Defensive Backs Coach and was promoted to Cornerbacks Coach in 2023. A Super Bowl champion with the Colts and Grey Cup winner in the CFL, he's built a strong coaching resume through the college and pro ranks. Known for developing top-level defensive backs, Lynch has helped shape one of the NFL's rising secondaries in Cleveland. In 2024, he was selected to represent the Browns at the NFL's Coach Accelerator Program, reflecting his growing influence and potential as a leader in the league. A former USL Goalkeeper of the Year, Hildebrandt gained national attention during FC Cincinnati's memorable U.S. Open Cup run and later earned an MLS Cup as part of Atlanta United. After retiring in 2019, he transitioned to coaching, beginning as goalkeeping coach for Sporting Kansas City II in 2020 and later joining St. Louis CITY SC's coaching staff in MLS. In 2025, he took on his role with Philadelphia, bringing high-level experience and a strong goalkeeper development background to the pro game. Today we will cover communication with your players and your fellow coaches, their transitions from playing to coaching and the coaches that have paved the way for them.   

In episode 2 of Coaching Crossover, we focus on tennis and swimming, while bringing two old acquaintances back together. Bill O'Toole is the Head Coach of the Toronto Swim Club, the elite club in Canada for swimmers aiming for gold in the pool. Joining him is former tennis pro and current ATP coach Frédéric Fontang. With more than 30 years of coaching experience, Bill O'Toole has coached swimmers to nearly 100 National and 100 Provincial records. He has placed several swimmers on Canada's National Team including the Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships. He most famously worked with Penny Oleksiak, Canada's most decorated Olympic athlete, while receiving numerous awards for his coaching himself, including the Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Award and Swim Ontario Coach of the Year. Frédéric Fontang is a highly respected tennis coach who has worked extensively on the ATP Tour. He is most notably known as the longtime coach of Félix Auger-Aliassime, helping guide the Canadian star's rise into the world's elite, while also becoming the second highest ranked Canadian men's player in ATP history. He previously worked with Tennis Canada and has coached several ATP players including Caroline Garcia, Vask Pospisil and Jeremy Chardy.  We'll talk about the mental side of each sport and how different it is working with an individual as opposed to a team.

Welcome to the Coaching Crossover Podcast! Join Matt Dumouchelle, as he invites two coaches from different sports to discuss leadership, team culture and what it takes to thrive under pressure, straight from the mouths of the people who live the grind and shape the standard every day. In episode 1, we focus on the sports of soccer and lacrosse as we are joined by Wake Forest University men's soccer coach, Bobby Muuss and the general manager and co-head coach of the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League, Derek Keenan. Coach Muuss has been with Wake Forest since 2015 and all he's done since then is dominate. Since 2015, Coach Muuse has 152 wins and 111 home wins, both the highest total in NCAA D1 soccer. His club has made 14 straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, has won 3 ACC Championships and 2 College Cups. He started his coaching career as an assistant at Wake Forest from 2001-2006 before taking the head coaching job at the University of Denver until 2014. At that time, he returned to Wake Forest, where he has helped 31 of his athletes join the MLS. Coach Keenan is coming off his 16 th year with the Saskatchewan Rush, where he's won championships in 2016 and 2018 while coming up one game short this past season in the NLL Finals. Keenan is a lacrosse legend in Canada, being named to the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2012 and being named the General Manager of the Year and Coach of the Year three times each – both the most of any individual in NLL history. We'll discuss building a culture and challenging your leaders, how much personality matches with performance in recruiting and drafting and the great destinations these two coaches go to so they can disconnect.