Walk Like A Champion Podcast

SEASON 2 EPISODE 5!!

Kaz Matsuno is in his first semester serving as the assistant coach at Pepperdine. Prior to that, Kaz helped his alma mater reach new heights as an assistant coach, reaching an all-time high of #15 in the country. As a player at MSU, Kaz reached as high as #36 in the ITA rankings. 

You will hear in this episode:

• How during Covid, a zoom Athletes in Action meeting changed the course of his life
• Kaz’s ref...

EPISODE 4!!

Austin Rapp has served as the assistant coach at Clemson since 2022. Prior to that, Austin was the Volunteer Assistant with Texas for 2 years. Austin competed for UCLA from 2015-2018, earning All-American status in 2018 after making the semifinals at the NCAA Tournament. He continued on the pro tour reaching 672 in Singles; 328 in doubles.

Austin is known around the country for his joy and diligence as a coach, but in ...

Jeri Stewart is the assistant coach at Columbus State. Prior to that, Jeri coached at Point University where she played an instrumental role in the team reaching a number 2 ranking in the NAIA. Before entering college coaching, Jeri ran a successful junior academy in Columbus, Georgia.

In this conversation, you will hear about:

• Jeri shared with me the prayer she prayed as she left college tennis during her time at UGA
• Her mind...

EPISODE 2 

Grey Hamilton is in his 2nd year as the assistant tennis coach at Baylor. Prior to that, Grey spent 3 years as the Volunteer Assistant at SMU. Grey played 4 years at Ole Miss where he helped the Rebels  to four-straight NCAA tournament appearances and a spot in the Sweet 16 in 2018.

In this episode: 

- What happened to drastically change his life while playing on the Futures tour

- The one thing his junior coach did for ...

SEASON 2 HERE WE GO! 

Jason Kerst has served as the Assistant Women’s Tennis Coach at Notre Dame since 2023. Prior to that Jason worked in fundraising and was the volunteer assistant at Virginia Tech and at South Carolina while he completed his MBA. Jason competed for the University of Iowa, graduating in 2021 and was the recipient of the ITA Regional Arthur Ashe Leadership Award.

In this conversation, you will hear about:

...

Lee Walker has served as the Head Women’s Tennis Coach at TCU since 2014 where his team reached a high of #14 in the country. Prior to this, he spent 7 years as the Head Coach at Memphis and 5 years as their assistant coach. Lee competed for Memphis where he was ranked as high as number 12 in the country in doubles and is in the Memphis Club Hall of Fame. 

In this conversation, you are going to hear about:

• His struggles as a co...

Mark is the Head Men’s Coach at Tulane where in 2008, he was tasked with rebuilding a program that was discontinued for four years as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Since then, Mark has orchestrated the program’s improbable return to national prominence as a top-25 team in the country. Before that, Mark spent 10 years as an Assistant and then Associate HC at LSU. Mark was a top 20 player at West Virginia and went on to reach 267 in...

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EPISODE 6

Nathan is in his 1st season as the Assistant Women’s Tennis Coach at Princeton. Nathan competed on the pro tour from 2005-2010 reaching a career high of number 356. Before that, he was an NCAA All-American at Clemson. Nathan also has had coaching stops at Clemson and D2 Southern Wesleyan along with working at the Junior Tennis Champions Center where he worked with players like Mitchell Frank and Francis Tia...

Derek is in his 7th year as the Head Coach at Liberty. He led the team to a number 39 national team ranking in 2021 and won the inaugural 2023 Universal Tennis NIT Title.

Before that, he spent five seasons as the Assistant Coach at Georgia Tech where he was instrumental in recruiting and developing Chris Eubanks who recently reached 31 in the world after making the quarterf...

In 2016, Matt took on the task to reinstate Arizona State’s Men’s Tennis team where he quickly brought them back to national prominence. Prior to that, Matt spent 4 seasons as the Head Coach at South Florida where his team reached as high as #13 in the nation. He’s also had coaching stops at Mississippi State and Alabama.

Matt is known around the country for being a strong leader, innovator, and visionary. But in this conversation...

Shelley is in her 1st season as the Head Coach at the University of Kentucky. Prior to that, Shelley had 9 years as a Division 1 Head Coach with the last 5 being at James Madison where she led her team to a national tournament berth in 2021. She has also coached at Middle Tennessee State, Michigan State, and Alabama where she was 3-time team captain.

In this episode with Chad, you will hear:

• How she is building the FAMILY team...

Jamie Hunt is in his 7th season as the Associate Head Men's Tennis Coach at the University of Georgia. Prior to that Jamie spent 7 years as the Associate Head Coach at Vanderbilt.

Jamie is the only player in history to win the Easter Bowl Doubles title in the 14s, 16s, and 18s and he rose to as high as #2 in the ITF Junior doubles rankings. He was an All-American at the University of Georgia and was on the National Championship te...

EPISODE 1

Tom Rees is the Associate Head Tennis Coach at Clemson University. In this episode, he shares with Chad about his journey from England to the US, his calling into coaching, how one tragic day in February of 2021 changed his life forever, and much much more! 

Listen to our 8 episode podcast series to hear elite level college tennis coaches share their story so you can be encouraged to take YOUR NEXT STEP in your faith jo...