Head Coach, Matt Roach: Varsity Girls Soccer
Matthew Roach has 10 seasons under his belt as head coach of the girls soccer team.
“Our student-athletes love to compete, they’re smart, and they go all-in when it comes to representing our school,” he said. “Being able to help build successful programs with distinctly positive cultures has been immensely exciting and rewarding.”
Throughout his tenure at Peddie, several standout moments in Peddie athletics have left a lasting impression on Roach. One recent favorite was the girls soccer win over Blair Academy in 2022, where the team came back from a goal down to win the game in the final 25 minutes. Peddie’s senior captains scored, and they helped the school win back the Kelley-Potter Cup. Other highlights include the Falcons clinching the MAPL soccer championships in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2018.
“Every big MAPL win is a glorious experience,” Roach said.
Roach will also always remember Peddie boys basketball team’s MAPL Championship run in 2016 and the incredible 2013-14 basketball team that established Peddie’s relentless style of pressing and unselfish play.
Roach has also been fortunate to be on the positive end of several memorable buzzer-beating wins. “I love a buzzer-beater,” Roach said.
Roach’s coaching journey began when he had the opportunity to coach at the Sports Challenge Leadership Academy at 20 years old. There, he worked as a basketball coach alongside future Peddie colleague Joe Rulewich.
He did a brief stint in television with NBC Sports as a production assistant for track and field broadcasts during the Olympic Trials and the Beijing Olympics and worked on Sunday Night Football. Later, during his intern teaching year at Hotchkiss School in Connecticut, he was a thirds basketball coach and junior varsity baseball coach.
In 2009, Roach started looking for a school where he could continue his teaching and coaching career, ultimately finding his way to Peddie.
“When I got the chance to run our soccer program, it was an amazing opportunity because Peddie soccer is a special and tight-knit program with a storied history, and in this area of the country, the quality of soccer is outstanding,” Roach said. “I’m proud to say that the program is continuing to grow and improve each year. This is a core Peddie value; we’re all about growth. We finish our labors to begin them anew.”
With both of his parents being high school coaches, Roach was immersed in coaching discussions and spent his childhood attending practices and games. Roach said he is inspired by his family who he describes as great athletes, sports fans and coaches, as well as by his colleagues and players. He also loves reading about and watching professional sports and thinking about how best to instill positive values and build culture.
Roach said he wants his teams to be relentlessly competitive, as well as physically and mentally tough. But he also values enthusiasm, energy and constant communication. His goal is to build a positive and collaborative culture where players take ownership of leading the team.
“As coaches, we’re not out on the field or the court, so in the biggest moments, players need to feel like it’s their team. They need to feel invested,” Roach said. “We achieve this by bringing our players into our coaching conversations and giving them information and a voice about key decisions for each practice, game and season. I believe in critical analysis and film study, and I am always looking to improve through well-designed and intense practice sessions.”
Outside of Peddie, Roach loves to read, watch sports and spend time with friends and family. He loves film, theater and live music. He plays tennis, as well as basketball and soccer on occasion, and he loves playing Spikeball.