Matt is currently the head boy’s lacrosse coach at St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, Ohio, has a professional career in commercial banking and is currently the Policy and Advocacy director for Alston for Athletes. Matt has been married for 12 years and has three young children, ages 10, 8, and 4.
Matt played lacrosse for The Ohio State University and has been coaching at DeSales since 2005…winning State Championships in 2012, ’18, ’22, & ’24. He has always been passionate about the mental aspect of sports, but his advocacy work began because of a troubled player who reached out for help in the summer of 2018.
After a lot of time, help, and research, his work would lead to legislation being a part of Ohio HB33 and signed in to law the summer of 2023. The legislation requires high school coaches to have mental health training to be able to coach high school sports, the first of its kind in the country. Matt has helped advise with similar legislation passed in Maryland and Virginia and is currently advising with similar legislation in multiple states.
Matt believes that coaches need to understand that winning and understanding mental health are both intrinsically linked.
MHFA1 - Nothing About Youth Without Youth: Turning MHFA Into Community Action Through Youth Voice
Sunday, April 26, 2026
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM MDT