Coaches Calls

Pat Gregoire is here and the door is wide open.

For the first time in years, the Minto Cup will be contested without perennial powers Coquitlam, Orangeville, Six Nations or Whitby, creating one of the most wide-open national championships in recent memory.

Ahead of opening faceoff in Calgary, my friend and TSN colleague Pat Gregoire helps break down the 2026 Minto Cup tournament from every angle.

We discuss the rise of Alberta lacrosse, whether this is finally the year an Alberta team captures its first Minto Cup, the pressure facing the host Raiders, the surprising run of the St. Catharines Athletics, Victoria's veteran roster, and why the Calgary Mountaineers may be more dangerous than many people realize.

We'll also share Minto Cup memories, identify players to watch, debate the biggest storylines entering the tournament, and examine what it will take to win one of the toughest championships in Canadian sport.

If you're looking for the ultimate primer before the Minto Cup begins, this is it.

Subscribe to Coaches Calls and follow along throughout the tournament as we continue our conversations with the leaders, coaches, players, and personalities shaping the game of lacrosse. 🥍

Pat Gregoire is one of the premiere voices of our sport. Whether coaching the Junior B Ironheads, calling championships on TSN or prepping for the NLL Draft, he works tirelessly to promote the game we all love. He'll be calling the Mann Cup later on this summer.

Find his draft coverage here --> On the Clock Lacrosse

"Love, baby. Love."

That's Cody Hawkins' answer when asked how he helps athletes get back on track when life isn't going their way.

The Calgary Mountaineers Head Coach and Raw Iron Performance founder joins the podcast for a conversation about athlete development, leadership, toughness, and coaching today's generation.

Cody shares lessons from his own path through junior lacrosse and the NLL, discusses what separates great athletes from the rest, the role parents play in development, and why character and commitment matter more than talent alone.

We also dive into Alberta lacrosse's growth, the culture inside the Mountaineers organization, and why he believes Alberta's first Minto Cup championship is coming.

A conversation about coaching, competition, and building people through sport. 🥍

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a rating and review, and share it with a coach, player, parent, or teammate who loves the game. Your support helps Coaches Calls continue bringing you conversations with the leaders shaping lacrosse.

As Raiders LC prepare to host the 2026 Minto Cup, Head Coach Mitch Bannister joins Coaches Calls to discuss his journey through the game and the evolution of lacrosse in Alberta.

Growing up around the Calgary Roughnecks, Bannister was exposed to some of the game's greatest players and coaches at an early age as dad Brad Bannister owned the Roughnecks and brought the NLL to the province. Now, he's helping lead a new generation of athletes while chasing a national championship on home floor at the Max Bell Centre.

Mitch shares how Alberta lacrosse has transformed from a blue-collar underdog to a legitimate contender on the national stage, why coaching development is critical to the province's continued growth, and what makes Alberta players unique when they reach the National Lacrosse League.

We also dive into the Raiders' culture, the lessons learned from last year's Minto Cup appearance, the challenge of preparing for a national championship, and why competition, accountability and passion remain at the core of everything they do.

Follow Coaches Calls for more conversations with the leaders, innovators and builders shaping the game of lacrosse.

Past episodes referenced with:

Andrew McBride --> https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/217xzCoPc5b

Brett Hickey --> https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/7yCMZenPc5b

What does a coach learn after more than 100 wins, multiple championships, and nearly two decades behind an NLL bench?

For Troy Cordingley, the answer is simple: patience.

Fresh off being named Head Coach of the Rochester Knighthawks, Troy returns to Coaches Calls to discuss his return to the big chair, the challenge of turning Rochester into a contender, and how his approach to leadership has changed since he first became an NLL head coach in Calgary.

We talk about accountability, culture, championship teams, coaching elite talent, and why player-to-player leadership is more powerful than anything a coach can say.

Plus:

🥍 Why he chose Rochester

🥍 The future of the Knighthawks

🥍 Lessons from Oakville Junior A

🥍 Developing the next generation of NLL stars

🥍 Jeff Teat's brilliance as a young player

🥍 Jim Veltman and leadership

🥍 The uncertainty surrounding the NLL offseason

🥍 What every coach can learn about patience

If you're a lacrosse fan, coach, player, parent, or leader looking to build a better team, this conversation is for you.

Enjoying Coaches Calls? Follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with a coach, teammate, or lacrosse fan.

If you want to hear Troy's last stop on the podcast, hit this link to our chat from 2024 --> https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/twe0kE7C64b

Junior Shamrocks Head Coach Dave Bremner joins the podcast for a deep dive into championship culture, player development, and what it takes to build a Minto Cup contender.

From the legendary 1988 Esquimalt Legion Minto Cup team to the current Junior Shamrocks roster, Bremner shares stories from decades in lacrosse, including lessons learned from coaches like Chris Hall and Nirmal Dillon, and the philosophies that continue to shape his teams today.

We discuss the evolution of box lacrosse, transition play, East vs. West styles, recruiting, leadership, team chemistry, and why culture remains the foundation of sustained success. Bremner also breaks down the Shamrocks' playoff push, key contributors including Graysen Thompson and Ben Pawluck, and the organization's vision heading into the 2027 Minto Cup in Victoria.

Topics include:

The 1988 Esquimalt Legion Minto Cup champions

Chris Hall's coaching legacy

Building culture in junior lacrosse

Transition play and modern box lacrosse

East vs. West playing styles

Junior Shamrocks playoff outlook

Recruiting and player development

The road to the 2027 Minto CupEnjoying the podcast? Follow, subscribe, and leave a rating or review wherever you listen. Share the episode with a fellow lacrosse fan and help us grow the conversation around the game we all love. 🥍

The three time Mann Cup champ is the new head coach of the Victoria Shamrocks of the Western Lacrosse Association.

This one’s for the defensive minds.

Former National Lacrosse League champion defender and current Georgia Swarm assistant coach Alex Crepinsek joins the podcast for a conversation about the modern box game — how it’s played, how it’s coached, and how teams are building identity behind the scenes.

Crepinsek talks about the transition from player to coach and how the Swarm have developed their fast, aggressive defensive style. He shares insight into the culture inside the organization, the influence of owner John Arlotta and his family-first philosophy, and how young players like Brett Dobson are growing within a veteran-driven locker room.

The conversation also digs into how technology is changing the game — from video review and challenges to the analytics and tools that are starting to shape coaching decisions and player development across the league.

And like any good lacrosse story, it goes back to junior. Crepinsek looks back at his days with the Burlington Chiefs and their historic Minto Cup win, and the coaches who helped push that group past expectations.

A conversation about defense, culture, preparation, and where the game is headed next.

Follow on X @BradChall | Instagram @BradChalloner

Maybe the youngest coach in the National Lacrosse League, Brett Hickey is the offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Desert Dog and Raiders LC of the Rocky Mountain Junior League, bringing his own system-driven style and a fresh perspective to both teams.

Not far removed from his own playing career where he scored over 200 goals playing under some of the game’s best coaches.

In this episode, Hix takes us inside the evolution of the Vegas offense… how complementary pieces matter more than star power… and coaching players who see the game three steps ahead — like Jeff Teat, whose strategic mind has changed the way Brett coaches.

And yeah — we get into the “12 round fighter” mentality, the push toward the Minto Cup, and what happens when young players finally stop memorizing answers and start solving the game.

Follow on X @BradChall | Instagram @BradChalloner

Randy Mearns wiped his Instagram clean recently — a sure sign of rebirth.

Last summer, Mearns was let go as head coach of St. Bonaventure’s men’s lacrosse program — a team he helped build from scratch over nine years, just as it was gaining momentum and producing NLL talent year after year.

So what’s next?

Mearnsi Lacrosse and a new role with the Greek National Team chasing a spot at the 2028 LA Olympics in Sixes. And the same lifelong mission: developing better players, teammates, and humans.

From 17 seasons as head coach at Canisius to five Mann Cups as a player, a Minto Cup with St. Catharines, captaining an NLL champion Knighthawks team, and helping Team Canada win multiple world championship golds — Randy Mearns has done it all.

In Part Two of this conversation, we dream big about the future of NCAA lacrosse, NLL lacrosse and where Randy’s next steps may be.

Follow on X @BradChall | Insta @BradChalloner

Guest @CoachMearns | @CoachMearns

Randy Mearns wiped his Instagram clean recently — a sure sign of rebirth.

Last summer, Mearns was let go as head coach of St. Bonaventure’s men’s lacrosse program — a team he helped build from scratch over nine years, just as it was gaining momentum and producing NLL talent year after year.

So what’s next?

Mearnsi Lacrosse and a new role with the Greek National Team chasing a spot at the 2028 LA Olympics in Sixes. And the same lifelong mission: developing better players, teammates, and humans.

From 17 seasons as head coach at Canisius to five Mann Cups as a player, a Minto Cup with St. Catharines, captaining an NLL champion Knighthawks team, and helping Team Canada win multiple world championship golds — Randy Mearns has done it all.

In Part One of this conversation, we dive into coaching at every level — NCAA, Team Canada, U19, and Team Greece — recruiting, the Olympic dream, and what comes after getting fired from the program you built.

Follow on X @BradChall | Insta @BradChalloner

Guest @CoachMearns | @CoachMearns