The Philadelphia Phoenix have named Adam Callaghan as head coach leading into 2026. A native of the Philadelphia region, Callaghan served as Assistant Coach for the Phoenix during the 2025 season.
“I am honored to take on this role with the Phoenix,” Callaghan said. “Each season presents new opportunities to improve and I cannot wait to embark on this journey with my hometown team.”
Callaghan brings a breadth of experience to his new role having played and coached across youth, college and club leagues over the past 15 years. His Ultimate career began with Haverford Ultimate Disc Alliance (HUDA) as a high schooler in Haverford, PA. He earned a state championship title with HUDA in 2010 and went on to play for the La Salle University Explorers.
Leadership has always come naturally to Callaghan, serving as captain during his days at HUDA and the Explorers. After graduating he stayed on with the Explorers as a coach from 2016-2019 and simultaneously began coaching HUDA’s junior varsity squad in 2017 through 2020. Remaining active on the field, Callaghan played for the USAU Mixed Club team Farm Show Ultimate for two years before taking on a coaching role with the team from 2023 through 2024, and leading the team to the club’s first regional qualification.
In 2022 Callaghan was selected as Assistant Coach for the Men’s Division III Ultimate team at Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, PA, later being appointed Head Coach in 2024 and leading the team to regional finals. Most recently, Callaghan took on a coaching position with the USAU Open Club team Philadelphia Pacmen in the club’s inaugural season, leading them to a 2025 USAU National Championship quarterfinals appearance and to finish out their inaugural season ranked fifth nationally.
“The Phoenix family is thrilled to have Adam Callaghan take the reins as head coach,” said Phoenix Vice President, Jeff George. “His acumen and steady leadership style meshes perfectly with our young squad. The standard has risen over the past few years for the Phoenix, and we know Adam is prepared and ready for the challenge.”
Callaghan is looking forward to making his mark on the Phoenix, saying, “I am excited to build on the momentum the Phoenix created last year and cultivate a competitive environment to produce the best possible version of this team. We will build and train as we strive for excellence, beginning with day one at our open tryout.”
The Phoenix Open Tryout for the 2026 squad will be hosted on January 10, 2026 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Penn Bubble in Philadelphia for players 18 and above. To register or view full event details and player eligibility, visit: www.phoenixulti.com.
