Matt co-founded the Grasshoppers program in 2020 alongside Jamie Chiero, starting with the 2014 boys team. The vision was clear from the beginning: to create a high-level development environment where young players could grow their skills while playing alongside friends. The emphasis was on fostering a positive culture built on fearless play and selfless mentality—values that continue to guide the program today.

Experience

In addition to his work with Grasshoppers FC, Matt has an extensive background in High School coaching. He served as the varsity assistant and goalkeeper coach for Olentangy Liberty boys (2017–2019), a span that included 3 OCC Championships, 2 District Titles, 2 Regional Championships, and a State Runner-Up finish. From 2020–2023, he took on the same roles with the Olentangy Orange girls, helping lead the program to 2 OCC Championships, 1 District Title, 1 Regional Championship, and a State Final Four appearance.

Matt is a former Division I goalkeeper at Marshall University (1998–2002), where he was named team captain as a senior and earned a B.A. in Criminal Justice. He played his high school soccer at Worthington Kilbourne, where he was a four-year starter and three-year captain. His individual accolades include: First Team All-Ohio, Central District Player of the Year, OCC Player of the Year, Suburban News Player of the Year, and This Week News Captain of the Super 12 Team. As a teen, Matt also competed at the U.S. Youth Inter-Regional Camp in Las Vegas, representing Region II (Midwest) at the U16 level.

As a coach, Matt is passionate about helping players become the best versions of themselves—on and off the field. He encourages athletes to take ownership of every moment, always remembering why they started: for the love of the game.