Meet Coach Matt

  1. Updates

Coach Matt is rocking his second year as the coach for Whittier Elementary.  Before joining the Playworks team in the Fall of 2012 he was at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, earning a degree in Secondary Education.  After graduation he came to the Twin Cities because of the unlimited opportunities to work in a diverse and progressive school system, and has been handing out high-5s ever since!

What was your favorite recess game growing up:
As a kid my favorite recess game was basketball.

Has it changed now that you’re a coach:
While I still LOVE basketball, as a coach my favorite recess game is Capture the Flag.

What is the best part about being a coach:
The best part of being a coach is the joy you get to bring to hundreds of kids everyday. Nothing beats seeing all the smiling faces and high-5’s you get to see over the course of just one school day.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go:
If I could go anywhere in the world I would go to Italy. My grandparents were born in Italy and my mother is Italian so I have family there and it’s really beautiful. Either that or I would go to New Zealand and walk the trail to Mordor.

More Updates


November 18, 2025

Student Leadership Expands to Northern Minnesota ›

Thanks to the MN Department of Health’s Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP), students at three schools in northern Minnesota are going to benefit from student-led recess this school year. In…

September 30, 2025

6 Game Tips for a Strong Start to the School Year ›

We are wrapping up our back-to-school blog series with some tips to help kick off the year with play! The first few weeks of school have a huge impact on…

September 23, 2025

5 Fun & Easy Recess Games to Kick Off the School Year ›

Our back-to-school blog series continues with a collection of recess games that are quick to teach and guaranteed to keep students engaged! The first few weeks of school are full…