TESTIMONIALS
The Japanese have a concept in their language known as ikigai. This word loosely translates to the reason you get out of bed in the morning. Coaching and mentoring others provides direction and purpose in my life; providing the ultimate sense of fulfillment. Most often our coaching sessions are about building better habits and lifestyle optimization strategies. Having lived internationally has granted me the unique opportunity to work with people from all over the world. Mentoring each person was a true privilege and something I’ll never forget.
Mathilde Simoni
France
“Matt is the perfect coach. When I decided to join the NYUAD Track & Field team, I was very shy and didn’t speak English well. Matt understood that and helped me feel comfortable in the team. He knows the importance of building a community in sport and really cares about each of his students. He challenges us while also providing lots of support thereby improving our performance. This fosters a good atmosphere during practice and has played a major role in creating a successful team. I also learnt a lot from him about nutrition, sleeping schedules and other good habits in his PE class “Healthy Habits”. It really helped me stay healthy during the 2 covid-19 lockdowns in France.”
Jaisal Friedman
USA
“Under Matt’s guidance, my running bloomed. The 7am 400m intervals were one of the highlights of my senior year. Matt is an excellent coach who impresses hard work, commitment, and fun to his trainees. I often think back on the conversations Matt and i had been workouts and recovery sessions about growing as an athlete and a person. Matt always fostered openness, acceptance, and equity on his teams as well.”
Shahad Hamwi
UAE
“Walking onto the track for the first time as a freshmen, all I could think about was: “am I fast enough?”. Looking back I find it hilarious that I was so intimidated- coach Matt makes the track such a welcoming and amazing place for everyone. What I love about having Matt as a coach is his focus on wellness as a whole: both mental and physical. As an athlete and college student, life gets pretty busy and as funny as this sounds we tend to sometimes put our health on the side. Learning how to prioritize my health while still balancing my social and academic life has been quite a journey but having Matt as a mentor has allowed me to do so. I was able to take my running to a whole new level, running distances and times that I never thought I could - while still always setting goals for getting stronger and better!”
Emil Goldsmith Olesen
Denmark
“Matt is the single largest factor to me achieving many of my athletic accomplishments during my time at NYU Abu Dhabi. He always believed in me more than I did, helped me develop sustainable running habits, and showed me how to keep training and competition fun. He is also a great role model for a healthy lifestyle and has many inspiring physical achievements. Matt was also the first person I connected with who was also eating a whole food plant based diet. This really helped me cement and develop those parts of my life and integrate them into my active lifestyle.”
Guglielmo Fonda
Italy
“During my first semester at NYUAD, in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, I had the opportunity to take the first iteration of the class "Healthy Habits" taught by Matt. This class condensed some of the experiences and self-improvement knowledge that Matt has accumulated over the years. I am thankful for the welcoming and productive environment he was able to create during the class. He is not just an amazing teacher but also an inspiring and kind person I look up to.”
Uljad Berdica
Albania
“Being mentored by coach Matt has been character defining and extremely rewarding. I took Coach Matt’s class on Healthy Habits and he was my assigned mentor for a university wide program that encouraged students to try a plant-based diet. He has also provided extremely effective technical advice and material to improve my athletic performance and my nutritional habits. It was through his lessons and materials on the power of small habits and strategic introspective time management that I was able to not only be a better runner and prolific engineering researcher but a more aware and open-minded global citizen.”
Alexander MacKay
Canada
“Matt offers unparalleled guidance on personal growth, wellbeing, and fulfillment that he not only advocates for but also exemplifies in his own life. I have benefited greatly from his mentorship and will continue to turn to him in the decades ahead!”
Ivana Drabova
Slovakia
“I took Matt's class on creating sustainable changes in one's life. Matt individually mentored each group member and hence tailored the theory to everyone's personal goals and circumstances. Matt has supported me even after the class has finished. He is someone who reignites my motivation and enthusiasm about healthy habits. Overall, Matt has inspired a paradigm shift for me: rather than attaching all the success to the outcomes of my goals, I strive to appreciate the small steps that lead to them instead.”
Matthew Tan
Malaysia
“Beyond being extremely well-read in all matters fitness and nutrition, Matt is very passionate about habit building and worked with me to achieve my sleep, exercise and cleanliness goals. He was — and continues to be — invested in my success even after our habit building program, during which he provided me with plentiful constructive mentorship tailored to my specific needs. He is my “go-to” whenever I am in need of any health advice and inspiration — his many years of experience as a runner, for instance, meant that he was well-poised to coach me for my latest fitness success: completing a marathon!”
Zhong Chen Tan
Singapore
“Matt has been my coach for Intercollegiate Track and Field at NYUAD, as well as my Staff Advisor for Parkour at NYUAD, the Student Interest Group I started. He's been an amazing mentor for all of us, pushing us to become better long-distance runners and making us appreciate each step of the process. He’s also really friendly, and makes the effort to get to know us on an individual level. Even though we haven’t been able to train together due to COVID-19, I still feel like part of the Track team with his check-ins!”
Susanne Niemann
Germany
“Matt is a wonderful coach both for the body and the mind. I experienced him both as a track & field coach and a healthy habits coach and in both roles he brought in valuable knowledge from his own healthy lifestyle, inspiring stories from his development, and always made sure to speak to our unique needs and aspirations. A conversation with Matt makes you believe in yourself and your ability and leaves you with a bright smile as he is such a happy personality!”
Daniel De beer
South Africa
"What I love most about Coach Matt is that he never fails to be thrilled about our performance as a team and as individuals, and has always been on the lookout for new running adventures. Ever since I met him, he's pushed me to achieve higher and higher standards, and has been excited for me when I reach them. He brings our team together, and, like any true leader, knows us all personally and is invested in us. I'm really grateful to have him as my coach."
Mari Calderón
Costa Rica
“Matt helped me get the courage to join the NYUAD Track and Field team. From day one, he was very understanding and supportive, pushing us to surpass our limits but also making sure we were not overexerting ourselves. Though my time training with Matt was short, I cannot thank him enough for creating such a supportive and positive atmosphere in our training sessions, and for believing in my abilities at a time when I struggled to do so myself. Thanks so much, Matt!”
Hannah Greene
USA
“Coach Matt shows endless enthusiasm for coaching and cares immensely about every student he encounters. The most incredible aspect of his coaching is that I have not ever heard him say anything negative - he exudes positivity and support, in such a way that empowers and drives us to always challenge ourselves from within. He brings so much light to the Track & Field team both on and off the field - whether cheering and calling out our times, or going above and beyond by mentoring students who want to transition to a more whole-foods plant-based lifestyle. Each of us grew so much as runners and individuals, pushing ourselves to new distances and accomplishments, driven by his endless enthusiasm and support. He has helped many of us through all kinds of challenges, and knowing that he'll always be cheering for us is such a gift.”
Noora Shuaib
Sri Lanka / United Arab Emirates
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to have taken a course on healthy habits by Coach Matt. Initially expecting to work on my challenges in isolation, I was happily surprised to find that Coach Matt had a much more holistic approach, with results that outlasted the 7-week course. We learnt how to create and sustain healthy habits by working on their root; our mindsets and why-power. My peers and I still refer to the class as a turning point for many expected and unexpected positive changes in our lifestyles, and my 10k morning runs are a testament to that!”
Saleh Al Hashimi
United Arab Emirates
“Coach Matt has played a crucial role in aiding me to build and maintain healthy habits through his motivation and encouragement. Additionally, having had the privilege of being Coach Matt’s mentee, I have greatly benefited from Coach Matt’s genuineness and transparency of his own journey to live a healthier life. This transparency is what I consider to be the most crucial component of Coach Matt’s mentoring, as it gives you an idea of the process to lead a good life. Overall, Coach Matt inspires me to pursue healthy habits through the most basic of daily decisions.”
Tusshara Nalakumar Srilatha
Philippines
“Matt's mentorship helped me develop healthier habits through a sustainable, identity-based approach. He encouraged me to reassess my beliefs about the kind of person I am and my capacity to lead a healthier lifestyle. With this approach and Matt’s consistent care and attention to my progress, I sustained the motivation to reach my goals. Matt helped me be proactive in taking the steps to make incremental progress towards my goals. Through each small victory, I proved to myself that I am the kind of person who can identify with these healthier habits and felt empowered in my journey.”
Ian Hoyt
USA
“Matt has contagious passion. He got students who hadn't run more than a single km at once to show up at 7am on a Monday for track practice – a practice where I could still push myself as hard as at any point in my previous decade of racing. Matt shaped a space where goals of every scale were valid. Fostering camaraderie and nurturing budding leaders, he guided an informal running group to become a committed inter-collegiate team. Matt loves what he does – and it's remarkably difficult for you to not love it too.”