Utah Royals coach Jimmy Coenraets discusses challenges and resilience
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 14, 2026, 10:16 AM
Last updated Aug 14, 2026
Jimmy Coenraets, 31, is the head coach of NWSL's Utah Royals FC. After undergoing six heart surgeries, including three open-heart procedures, he brings a unique perspective to coaching. Coenraets joined the Royals as an assistant coach in June 2024, helping to rebuild a team facing challenges in a competitive market. His approach blends his background in strategy with the realities of expanding the women's game. With personal and professional adjustments behind him, Coenraets aims to make the Royals a tougher team in the league.
- •Coenraets completed a 33-mile bike ride near the University of Utah.
- •He joined Utah Royals FC after previously coaching in Belgium.
- •His coaching style adapts to the team's strategic needs.
- •Coenraets aims to improve conditions for women's soccer.
- •He has a deep academic background in marketing and strategy.
- 10:16 AMYahoo Sports — Meet Jimmy Coenraets, the 31-year-old Utah Royals coach who has had six heart surgeries
"Jimmy Coenraets is not your usual coach. We are speaking shortly after he finished a 33-mile bike ride through the canyons by the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, the kind of thing the 31-year-old Belgian does on the days when he is not trying to turn the NWSL’s Utah Royals FC into one of the league’s toughest teams. “I think it’s still a Belgian piece of me,” Coenraets said. “On my days off, I try to get out and get into the canyons. Other times, I just cycle to work, to stay fit and healt
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