Coach Matt became Head Coach of the Hudson Explorers Aquatic Team (HEAT) in 2005. He is also the Head Coach of the Hudson High School team as well as The Coordinate of Aquatic Director for Hudson City Schools. Matt currently holds an ASCA Level 4 certification. Under Matt’s direction, HEAT has earned the Bronze medal club excellence award the in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 , 2020, and 2021  as one of the top 200 USA swim clubs.

During Matt's tenure, the HEAT record books have been rewritten. Since 2005 there have been more than 400 HEAT team records broken during the short course and long course seasons. Matt has led the HEAT to numerous top 3 team per formance in Lake Erie in both SC and LC Team Championships.  In 2018 and 2020,  HEAT won 'Club of the Year ' award given to the top team in Lake Erie.  HEAT has had several swimmers compete on a National level at the Speedo Sectional meets,  Futures,  Jr Nationals, Senior Nationals, and Olympic Trials. Matt was voted as Lake Erie Sr. Coach of the year in 2009 and 2018 by his peers.  HEAT has had numerous swimmers selected to Zone and National Select camps, and even had a swimmer earn a spot on the USA National Jr Team.  During Matt’s tenure he has produced swimmers that have competed all of the county at the collegiate level including Florida, Tennessee, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Akron, Ohio University and many others universities.  

Matt has led the Hudson HS Girls and Boys varsity team to District Championships 13  times.  In 2018 and 2019 the Girls placed 3 rd  at the OHSAA HS State Championship,  In  2015 the boys team placed 3rd at the OHSAA HS State Championships. Matt has been selected as District Coach of the year 15 x, as well as Ohio HS Boys State coach of the year in 2012, and 2015.

During his time at Hudson HS, the team has broken more than 40 varsity and pool records, crowned 8 State Champions, set 1 state record, and had 80 + HS S wimming/Diving All-Americans, 75 + Academic  All-Americans, and more than 200  All-Ohio performances.   Matt has also been selected by USA Swimming to serve at the Zone Select camp 2 times, as well as the National Select Camp in Colorado Springs in 2019. Matt also served a 2 year term as President of the Ohio HS Swim Coaches Association. 

His favorite events were the 200 IM, 200 Fly, 500 Free, and 1650 Free. 

Ryan currently resides in Peninsula, OH with his wife Megan and daughter Harper.

Coach Megan had a 12 year swimming career with Boardman Tennis & Swim Club (BTSC), USA’s Penguin Swimming and Boardman High School. In the pool, she was a 4 year letterman, 4 year district qualifier and part of a record setting 4x100 free relay. Her favorite event was the 100 backstroke. Coach Megan spent 6 summers as an assistant coach at BTSC working with swimmers age 3-18 and 1 year with USA’s Slippery Rock Eels developmental program. 

Megan currently resides in Peninsula with her husband (Ryan) and daughter (Harper). When not working as a pharmacist, she enjoys baking, spending time with her family and traveling. She is currently entering her 2nd year coaching with HEAT. 
 

Coach Mal has been coaching with the High School and HEAT since 2010 and has been a Speech Language Pathologist in Hudson Schools since 2009. Growing up in a small town in PA, she swam, played volleyball and softball, and was involved in band. Some of my favorite events include distance and IM. Coach Mal went to Kent State and has been in Ohio ever since. She enjoys staying active in Hudson Schools by participating on many committees and attending as many events as possible to support our students and swimmers. Outside of school and coaching, Mal enjoys hiking, watching sports, traveling and spending time with friends and family. I am grateful to be part of the Boat and Heat families!!! 

This is my third year on the Hudson Heat coaching staff.  Currently I am a Hudson resident with a very supportive wife, Ashley, and 3 fantastic children; Leo, Sonny, and Annabelle.  In addition to this I am currently a 7th grade Science teacher at Kimpton Middle School in Stow.  I am super excited to give back to sport that has given me so much.  My swimming journing started early, growing up in Cuyahoga Falls and swimming with the Tigersharks and Waterworks swim programs.  This journey continued as I was able to compete and swim for Bowling Green State University.   Upon finishing college I returned to the area and began coaching with a local age group team for several years.  From 2012-2016 I was the head coach for Stow Munroe Falls High School as well as Waterworks.  These experiences have shaped me so much and I look forward to sharing my passion for this incredible sport with your families.

Kelly Cook is a mother of four and native Ohioan who loves all things outdoors and in the water.  She began swimming at a young age for her local swim team and went on to become the captain of her high school team.  Her favorite events to swim included 50 and 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, and diving.  She spent her high school and college years lifeguarding, teaching American Red Cross swim lessons, and guiding kayaking, climbing, and backpacking adventures.  Kelly holds certifications as a rescue scuba diver and wilderness first responder.  In her free time, you can find Kelly enjoying her backyard farm, slalom skiing and wakesurfing with her husband and kids, or checking water parameters in her saltwater reef tank. 

 My name is Audrey Drolshagen and I’m a junior at in high school and I’ve been swimming for the Hudson Boats for the past two years. Before that, though, I swam for HEAT.

 Coach Mackenzie was born in Cleveland, but has grown up in South Carolina. She was an age group swimmer with the Florence Area Swim Team and went on to swim collegiately at Columbia College (SC). After college coach Mackenzie coached with the club team at the YMCA of Columbia for three years. After that she coached with Camden High School for two seasons.  Coach Mackenzie is so happy to be back in Ohio and coaching again with the HEAT!