Coaches Calls

Don Koharski is one of the most respected and well-known officials in the history of professional sports, with a career that spans over four decades. He built a reputation for his no-nonsense approach, deep understanding of the game, and ability to manage high-pressure situations on the ice. After an illustrious 32-year career in the NHL, Koharski transitioned to a key role in the National Lacross...

The greater the man, the shorter the bio.  Derek Keenan is the GOAT. The winningest coach in National Lacrosse League (NLL) history, he's coached the most games and won more championships than anyone else in the league. He's been a part of nine championships: two as a player in Buffalo, four as an assistant coach in Toronto, and three as head coach with the Rush. He also won two Minto Cups as head...

“I’ve forced myself into very uncomfortable positions,” brand new head coach of the Philadelphia Wings being one of them, Ian Rubel is a three-time NLL Champion and a Constable Instructor in the training unit for the Niagra PD. He’s a low-key bad ass. He’s the only new head coach heading into the 2024-25 NLL season. Rubel joined the Philadelphia Wings as the Defensive Coach prior to the Wings retu...

The World Lacrosse Box Championships are upon us. Every four years since 2003, the world has come together for this tournament, in which Canada has never lost a game, let alone a gold medal. The tournament has swelled to 28 teams, ranging from Puerto Rico to Poland, Hungary to Hong Kong, and Australia to Austria. But none of these nations would be here if it weren’t for the Haudenosaunee. The peop...

Glenn Clark returns! This time to talk about coaching Team Canada at the upcoming World Lacrosse Box Championships. A tournament where Canada has never lost a game, and has won all 5 gold medals. Glenn Clark has been a part of almost all of them as a player or coach. We’ll talk about Canada’s responsibility to exemplify lacrosse at the highest level, educate developing nations and grow the game al...

Walt Christianson is Head coach of England’s men’s box lacrosse team. And though current NLL fans might faintly only recall his 48 games coached in the National Lacrosse League over 3 seasons, he’s a hugely influential legend of the game that needs to be talked about. We talk a lot about the Les Bartley coaching tree. But what about the Chris Hall coaching tree? Island style! There might be no str...

The main definition of extroversion is simply gaining energy from engaging in social interactions. People who are high in extroversion get energized and refreshed from certain interactions. That’s definitely how I felt after this next conversation, and I hope it’s how you’ll feel too.   Darryl Gibson brings the energy! As the offensive coach for the Albany FireWolves, he helped lead the youngest a...

Reilly O'Connor is a good dude. He's a great teammate. He's mentally tough. He's a leader, and he's the Head Coach of the Toronto Beaches of the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League. He walks the walk as a coach. The actions match the words, so much so that he's also still a player in the National Lacrosse League with the new Ottawa Black Bears. He's also-also a coach with Be...

"Champions are never satisfied.” That's the mindset of the back-to-back NLL Champion Buffalo Bandits, and in over an hour of conversation with their General Manager and Assistant Coach Steve Dietrich, we barely spoke about their electrifying on-floor product. Dietrich is relatively new to coaching and devours film to improve his craft, soaking up everything he can from the GOAT—his head c...

Paul Dal Monte has done everything in the sport of lacrosse. 3-time Minto Cup champion as a player with the hall of fame Burnaby Cablevision dynasty.   3-time Mann Cup champion as a player with the New West Salmonbellies.   3-time Minto Cup champion head coach with the hall of fame Burnaby Lakers dynasty.   3-years as the first and only head coach of the Vancouver Ravens.   Current WLA Commissione...

Welcome to NLL semifinals weekend! Only four teams remain: Albany will play San Diego, and in the time-honored tradition of the best rivalry in lacrosse, Toronto will host Buffalo. On this week’s podcast: Rusty Krueger. He is the offensive coordinator for the Toronto Rock and also the head coach of the Orangeville Northmen in the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League. Krug Dog, one of the most renowned o...

It's playoff eve! On this bonus episode of Coaches Calls, we preview the highly anticipated 2024 NLL Playoffs with exclusive highlights of conversations with the 8 NLL head coaches still competing for the NLL Cup.    Insights, strategies, expectations and philosophies from Matt Sawyer (Toronto Rock), Mike Hasen (Rochester Knighthawks), Patrick Merrill (San Diego Seals), Tracey Kelusky (Panther...

John Lintz has a lacrosse path and resume like no other. And a chip on his shoulder. Growing up in Edmonton, he had to roll the dice early and headed west to Coquitlam to try out for the Junior Adanacs in 2006. Now as Head Coach of the Edmonton Miners Junior A team, he is a big reason why Alberta boys and girls don’t have to leave home anymore to carve a path to college or the pros. He won three N...

Troy Cordingley’s NLL coaching career has come full circle, all in an effort to never stop learning, growing and changing. He's all about lacrosse. A two-time NLL Champion head coach. 2008 Calgary and 2011 Toronto. Two-time Les Bartley Award winner for head coach of the year. 2008 Calgary and 2013 Toronto. He is fifth all-time in career coaching wins with 107. He started his NLL coaching caree...

For the first since the 1993 Orangeville Northmen, the Minto Cup had a first time champion in 2023 – the Burlington Blaze. From 2007 - 2022, only four teams have won Canada’s national junior A lacrosse championship - Six Nations, Orangeville, Whitby and Coquitlam. History and tradition were not on Burlington’s side. That all changed when Head Coach Dan MacRae’s vision started to take shape.    An...

The shorter the bio, the more impressive the man. John Tavares is the GOAT. The all time leader in goals and points in the history of the National Lacrosse League. A three-time league MVP in ’94, 2000 and 2001. In addition, four time champion in ’92, ’93, ’96 and 2008. He was inducted into the NLL Hall of Fame in 2016. Lacrosse’s Wayne Gretzky he is not. He is John Tavares. He is ours. He belongs...

Patrick Merrill coaches a super team and has one of the best gigs in lacrosse. He is the first and only Head Coach and General Manager of the San Diego Seals of the National Lacrosse League. Lacrosse and sunshine.   A playoff team every season of their existence so far. A roster riddled with some of the league’s most electrifying players but early playoff exits in 2022 and 2023 are obviously leavi...

Shawn Williams is living every lacrosse nerd’s dream. Building a team from scratch. Picking his players. Developing the system. Developing the culture. Putting his 17 years of pro playing and life experience into his role as the inaugural Head Coach and General Manager of the Las Vegas Desert Dogs. The first ballot hall of fame player won two NLL Championships and is widely regarded as one of the...

Jimmy Quinlan is the youngest coach in the National Lacrosse League, for whatever that is worth. He started coaching long before his playing career ended in 2013 though, so the experience is there. How could it not be stepping onto the Toronto Rock team in 2005, a roster riddled with at least 11 players who coach or have coached in the NLL. Legends of the game. His first coach was Terry Sanderson....

Dan Ladouceur is the head coach of the New York Riptide of the National Lacrosse League. A role he has held since 2020. He joined the Riptide after spending four seasons as the offensive coordinator with the Georgia Swarm. In his first season behind the bench in Georgia, the Swarm set a new NLL record for the most goals scored with 266 and won the NLL championship. The six foot six “Big Dog” playe...

They call Glenn Clark the Professor. I’ve never really traced that back to know why but I imagine it’s because he’s smart. He’s an educator by trade, and a born leader and coach. Over two decades of NLL experience as both a player and a coach, he was one of the youngest coaches that ever took over an NLL bench when he became head coach of the legendary Toronto Rock the season after retiring from p...

THE HALIFAX THUNDERBIRDS HAVE BEEN A TEAM ON THE CUSP OF A CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE 2020. THEY’RE RIGHT THERE, AND THE GUY DRIVING THE BUS IS MIKE ACCURSI. A FOUR TIME NLL CHAMPION AS A PLAYER, HE’S BEEN THERE. HE KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES. NOW IT’S TIME TO GET HIS TEAM TO REALIZE THAT, PUT IT TOGETHER AND GET OVER THE HUMP. BUT IT HURTS. WE’LL HEAR FROM MIKE THAT THE BEST TEAMS HE’S BEEN ON HAD TO GO THROUGH...

Paul Day is the man. That’s the intro. One of the most respected leaders in all of lacrosse. He’s the head coach and general manager or the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League. A Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Famer, he’s been to the National Lacrosse League finals nine times, capturing five titles as a player, coach or general manager. He did it all while maintaining a 27-year decorated...

Mike Hasen might be the most underrated coach in lacrosse. Over 200 games coached in the NLL. 5th all time. 100 wins in the NLL. 6th all time. 3 NLL titles. He’s led hall of fame laden dynasties, coached up MVPs and helped build an expansion team and took them to the playoffs in year 3. Not usually mentioned along with the all time greats but why not? It might be the fact he’s a calm humble guy th...

A new year brings new beginnings and Josh Sanderson is a first time Head Coach in the National Lacrosse League and the new head coach and Assistant General Manager of the Calgary Roughnecks. He played 19 seasons in the NLL winning 2 championships. One of the greatest play makers of all time, he sits third in NLL history in assists. In his final full season - he set what was then the league record...