Head Coach/General Manager - Bob McMillen »
Coach McMillen is returning as Head Coach of LA KISS for his second season. McMillen earned NET10 Wireless Head Coach of the Year honors in 2013 after guiding the Chicago Rush to a 10-8 record and Central Division championship in his third season at the helm. For his career, McMillen boasts a 33-21 regular season record and has winning record that stands above the rest. In his first season as a head coach, he guided the Rush to a 13-5 mark and an appearance in the National Conference championship game.
Owner of LA KISS said "During our search for the first-ever head coach of LA KISS, we knew we had to get a coach with relevant AFL playing and coaching experience – someone well respected around the league and beyond." As a player, McMillen won ArenaBowl championships with three different teams during his 13-year career with the Arizona Rattlers, San Jose SaberCats and Chicago Rush. Voted the 17th Greatest Player in AFL History with the Silver Anniversary Committee in 2012, McMillen was a three-time ArenaBowl champion, two-time All-Arena selection and one-time All-Ironman selection. He ranks second in AFL history with 484 career rushing attempts and third in rushing yards with 1,508. McMillen was announced as an inductee into the Arena Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013 in August. "I'm beyond excited to be given the honor of being named the first head coach of LA KISS," stated Bob McMillen. "I’m very much looking forward to putting in the hard work with our team and owners, and in the end producing a top tier product both on and off the field." Coach McMillen attended Illinois Benedictine University.
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator - Walt Housman »
Coach Hous is an integral part of the KISS as he serves as Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator. He previously served two stints with the Chicago Rush as Defensive and Offensive Coordinator. Coach Hous served as the linebackers coach at St. Anselm in 2000 and the defensive line coach at Central Connecticut State in 1999. He spent seven seasons at South Dakota from 1992-1998, serving as defensive coordinator for the final two years.
In addition, he coached at Tulane and Upsala, and Arena Football League coaching experience with the New England Seawolves, Miami Hooters and the New Orleans Night. A native of Merrimack, N.H., he is a 1987 graduate of Upsala, where he was a three-year member of the football team. Previously played at Iowa, and went on to play professionally with the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League and in the Arena Football League. Coach Hous holds degrees from Upsala College and the University of Iowa.
Offensive Coordinator - Matt Sauk »
Sauk, A six year coaching veteran brings his track record of success to the LA KISS. Prior to his appointment with the KISS, Sauk was named the inaugural coach of the Portland Thunder on October 8, 2013, and lead the expansion team with 21 rookies to the playoffs. The Thunder would end up losing the playoff in a close battle 52-48 to the eventual 2014 Arena Bowl Champions, Arizona Rattlers.
Sauk got his start as a quarterbacks and receivers coach with the af2’s Spokane Shock in 2008. When the team moved to the AFL in 2010, Sauk was named offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. In his first season calling the plays for the Shock, the team went 13-3 and won ArenaBowl XXIII. Following his success in Spokane, Sauk took over the team’s offense. Utah shattered League records for passing yards, touchdowns and first downs in back-to-back seasons, earning Sauk NFL Network Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2011 and 2012. Over the course of his coaching career, Sauk has mentored several quarterbacks including Nick Davila, Tommy Grady and Erik Meyer, all of whom went on to win League MVP honors.
Prior to coaching, Sauk spent his playing career between the af2 and AFL. He saw time with the AFL’s Nashville Kats, Los Angeles Avengers, Philadelphia Soul, Grand Rapids Rampage and Arizona Rattlers, but really left his mark as a player in af2. In his first season with the Tennessee Valley Vipers in 2001, he received Rookie of the Year honors after setting multiple team and League records. In 2005, he was named the af2 Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Louisville Fire to a berth in ArenaCup VI. He was inducted into the af2 Hall of Fame in 2009 after an eight-year playing career that saw him pass for more than 17,000 yards and 345 touchdowns.
BACKGROUND: QB, Woodbridge High School (Irvine, CA) (1991-1994); QB, Orange Coast College (1994-96); Utah State (1996-97). QB, Nashville Kats (2000); Tennessee Valley Vipers (2001, 2003); Los Angeles Avengers (2002); Louisville Fire (2004-05); Philadelphia Soul (2006); Grand Rapids Rampage (2007); Arizona Rattlers (2008). Quarterbacks/Receivers Coach, Spokane Shock (2008-09). Offensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach, Spokane Shock (2009-10); Utah Blaze (2011-13). Head Coach, Portland Thunder (2014-present).
Director of Player Personnel - Scott Bailey »
Scott is in his tenth season with the AFL and is returning for his second season with LA KISS. He comes to the KISS as a proven executive and noted for his accomplishment while bringing personnel in and getting them out to the next level to include the NFL. Coach McMillen once stated, "This is a testament to the caliber of players that our Director of Player Personnel, Scott Bailey, has recruited to the Rush. Chicago's the biggest market in the AFL, and players can really get the exposure here that is going to help them get to the next level." Scott is also a major part of the coaching staff and served as special teams coach and coordinator while with the Chicago Rush. His office walls are covered in names. From Arena Football League players to undrafted college players to NFL cast-offs, Bailey scouts them all.
In the AFL, where players mainly sign just one-year contracts and roster turnover is second nature, he needs to be ready to fill a spot at any moment. After three seasons as Assistant Special Teams Coach, Scott was promoted to Special Teams Coordinator in September 2011. Responsible for the scouting, evaluating, recruiting and signing of all potential players, Bailey also coordinates scouting efforts for all college and pro leagues. He also plays a significant day-to-day role in the evaluation and management of the current KISS roster and provides analysis for future player acquisitions.
Scott worked in several different capacities with the Chicago Bears from 1995-2001. During 2009, Scott filled his off-time working as a cross country camping guide for Trek America. Was a three sport athlete in high schools in California, Illinois and Ohio. Scott holds a degree from Emerson College in Boston.
Director of Scouting & Assistant Coach - Grady Tucker, Jr. »
Coach Tucker is a retired combat veteran that brings leadership and multiple years of playing and coaching experience to the KISS. Notably, he has played, coached or coordinated football in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe at just about every position which makes him well-rounded to coach any position. He has a passion for secondary and defensive line positions as that’s where he played to end his career and he possesses a keen eye for concepts and tendencies of the opposition.
Coach Tucker is a retired Air Force commander, has over 26 years of Air Force leadership experience and is a recipient of the Purple Heart. He directly executed duties for the highest level executives to include President Bush and Clinton. As a head coach he’s made it to the playoffs every year at the minor league level and teams have been ranked as high as #2 in the nation. He’s been named General Manager of the Year once and Coach of the Year twice during his career. Professionally, he was defensive backs coach and Director of Quality Control for the Ontario Warriors during their undefeated season. In the community he’s a regular at the Marcus Robertson and Chad Brown Youth Camps and the NCAA Youth Football Clinic that combined host well over 600 youth annually. Coach Tucker has a beautiful wife Dr. Saran Tucker, six children, is also a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc and holds degrees from the Air Force and University of Phoenix.
Wide Receivers - Russell Shaw »
Coach Shaw brings National Championship playing experience at the collegiate level and 6 years of head coaching experience to the KISS. Before heading to Michigan, he was ranked as the number 1 junior college wide receiver by the National Recruiting Advisor, and was named to the JUCO All-American 1st team as a kick returner.
As a 7 year Arena Football League player he amassed over 2150 all-purpose yards, 22 touchdowns and an AFL championship with the Chicago Rush. Shaw kicked off his AFL career with the Los Angeles Avengers and played receiver and defensive back. Coach Shaw is a pillar of the community as a mentor, high school track and football coach as well as Pop Warner football coach. Coach Shaw holds degrees from El Camino, Michigan and California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Team Medical Director/Head Team Physician - Luga Podesta, MD »
Dr. Podesta begins the inagural season as Head Team Physician and Medical Director for the LA Kiss and eigth season as an Arena Footbal Team Physician. Dr. Podesta is a nationally recognized sports medicine physician specializing in the non-surgical treatment of orthopedic, musculoskeletal and sports related injuries to the shoulder, elbow, knee and spine.
Dr. Podesta is Medical Director at Podesta Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Institute in Thousand Oaks, CA and on the clinical faculty at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles, CA. Board Certified in both Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Podesta is a fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a Member of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine. Dr. Podesta is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences.
Dr. Podesta has served as a Team Physician for the Los Angeles Angels Baseball team (2010-2013) and sixteen seasons as a team physician for the LA Dodgers (1990-2006). He has served as Head Team Physician for the World Champion LA Xtreme (XFL) (2001), LA Avengers, (AFL) (2002-2008), and Major League Lacrosse LA Riptide (2006-2008). Dr. Podesta continues to serve as Head Team Physician for Oxnard College, a consultant to the Major League Baseball Umpires, as a Sports Performance Consultant to Cirque Du Soleil, and training camp consultant to the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys.
He remains active academically, lecturing nationally and internationally, works as a manuscript reviewer and author for several medical journals and contributing writer to DRUM Magazine on health related topics.
A native of Seaford, NY, Podesta earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree from Wagner College in 1977, Doctor of Medicine degree from Autonomous University of Guadalajara (2004) and New York Medical College (2005). He completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at St. Vincent’s Medical Center of NYC and Sports Medicine fellowships at Staten Island Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center in Staten Island, NY (1989) and at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic (1990). He and wife Pam reside in Camarillo, California and have 3 children, Luga, Daniel and Alyssa.
Head Athletic Trainer - Bruno Silva »
This is Bruno’s second season with LA KISS. He was hired as the Head Athletic Trainer for the LA KISS in its inaugural season. Bruno’s education comes by with Bachelor of Science degrees, one in Athletic Training and the other in Athletic Therapy, both from Weber State University. He also continued his education by receiving his master’s degree in Heath Science with concentration in Sports Medicine from Nova Southeastern University.
His professional experience includes working with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans. Bruno also has experience in D1 College, high school athletics, and with performing arts at Disneyland.
Bruno is a native of Brazil and immigrated to Ft. Lauderdale Florida, where he went to middle and high school. Bruno has two amazing sons, Hyde and Ayrton.