Kosuke Kimura Announces Gainbridge Super League Technical Staff
GSL Lexington Sporting Club

Kosuke Kimura Announces Gainbridge Super League Technical Staff

Published on January 27, 2026 under Gainbridge Super League (GSL)
Lexington Sporting Club News Release


LEXINGTON, Ky. - Head coach Kosuke Kimura has announced his Gainbridge Super League technical staff heading into the second half of the 2025/26 season.

Kimura was named the squad's head coach Dec. 8 and officially transitioned into the role over the Gainbridge Super League winter break.

Taylor Leach will serve as Kimura's first assistant coach. Leach joined the women's coaching staff prior to the 2025/26 season after serving as an assistant for the University of South Carolina women's program. She played nine seasons across Sweden and the NWSL.

New to the technical staff is assistant coach and video analyst Bert Leonard. Leonard joins LSC from South Georgia Tormenta FC where he served as a youth coach since 2019. His coaching, scouting and video analysis experience spans over a decade and includes a head coaching position with Costa Rica's Escazú FC from 2019-21.

Leonard also coached at the youth level for the United States Soccer Federation, helping develop players like Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan. Additionally, he served as a video analyst for Nashville SC in the USL Championship from 2017-19.

"I am extremely excited to be a part of Lexington SC as an assistant coach under head coach Kosuke Kimura," he said. "I worked with Kosuke at Nashville SC when he was a player and coach, and we spent many hours together discussing tactical situations via videos. We also worked extensively with both professional and youth players to further develop their technical skill sets. I am honored to work with the entire coaching staff, and I can't wait to get on the field."

Former MLS man Shane O'Neill also joins the staff as an assistant coach and head of individual development plans (IDP). O'Neill's 14-year playing career began with the Colorado Rapids in 2012 and stretched across seven countries.

The Irishman is a two-time Cypriot Cup winner and initially met Kimura in Colorado.

"I greatly appreciate LSC, as well as Kosuke, for giving me the opportunity to start my coaching career," said O'Neill. "We are striving for championships and will tirelessly to bring one to this city."

Nate Walzer remains the women's goalkeepers coach, and Matt Thomsen will continue to serve as the group's equipment manager.

"I wanted to put together a staff with different backgrounds and that are different from me," said Kimura. "Nate is incredibly knowledgeable and sees the game in a way that I don't. Taylor has competed at the highest levels of women's soccer and knows what it takes to be successful, while also understanding how to scout at the college level. Bert sees the game faster than anyone else and really understands how to get the best out of players through detailed analysis. Shane will head up our IDP programs, something I'm very high on, to make sure everyone is taken care of holistically, on and off the field."

Kimura and his staff begin the second half of the Gainbridge Super League season Jan. 31 at Fort Lauderdale United FC. Lexington is unbeaten through the first 14 matches of the season while sporting the league's best goal differential (+15).

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