DARRYL STANLEY – HEAD COACH
Head Coach Darryl Stanley has returned to the DC Breeze thanks to a new two-year contract extension. Stanley guided the team to a 10-4 regular season record and a playoff victory over the Montréal Royal in 2017, his inaugural season with the team.
“The DC Breeze are an excellent organization with a committed leadership, fantastic ambition and wonderful fans,” Stanley announced after inking his new agreement. “The DC Breeze welcomed me with open arms to the DC ultimate scene in 2017, and I’m excited to sign on for 2018 and 2019!”
Stanley has been coaching professional ultimate since 2013 as both an assistant and head coach. From 2013-15 he was an assistant for the Philadelphia Phoenix before moving into a head coaching role with the MLU’s Philadelphia Spinners last year. Under his direction, the Spinners achieved an overall record of 11-1 on their way to clinching the franchise’s first and only MLU Championship. Stanley was also named the MLU 2016 Coach of the Year.
Stanley has also served as Head Coach of the University of Pennsylvania’s men’s team Void from 2014-2016, a role for which he was named the University of Pennsylvania Club Sports Coach of the Year in 2016. Void were Eastern Pennsylvania Sectional Champions in both 2015 and 2016 under his leadership.
“This upcoming season we are really looking to take that next step to wrest the AUDL East Division championship from the Toronto Rush,” continued Stanley. “We’ve been at the doorstep twice, and I’m hoping we are like the Chicago Bulls going up against the Detroit Pistons in the late 80s: one nemesis away from reaching the summit.”
ALEX GHESQUIERE – TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Returning in his role as the team’s Technical Director, Ghesquiere will continue to actively work with Stanley on player recruitment and selection as well as on coaching and field strategy. Ghesquiere served as Breeze head coach from 2014 to 2016, leading the team to a 28-17 overall record and two playoff appearances in three years before moving into the director role in 2017. The Breeze limped to a 4-12 record in 2013, the year before Ghesquiere came aboard.
“I look forward to continuing to work with Darryl and Don [Grage, Breeze Managing Partner] helping the Breeze be successful; they are both the highly capable and dedicated resources the Breeze needs,” announced Ghesquiere. “It has been a pleasure to be part of the Breeze organization.”
Ghesquiere was appointed the prestigious position of head coach of the U.S National Team for the 2017 World Games in Poland, where he repeated his success from 2013 by leading the nation’s most elite mixed players to another consecutive World Games gold medal. This international gold is merely the latest addition to what is arguably the Ultimate world’s most impressive trophy case, which also includes Ghesquiere’s leadership of the USA Open team’s 2016 Ultimate World Championship in London among many other club and country titles over the past 15-20 years.
Here’s some more of Ghesquiere’s résumé:
- Revolver coach, 1 world championship, 2 nationals gold medals
- Scandal coach, 2 nationals gold medals
- Revolver player, 1 world championship, 1 nationals gold medal