Mike Katz, Humber College (Now Retired)
Today we are lucky to have coach Mike Katz on the show. He won an amazing five national championships during his 19 seasons with Humber College. He also coached the University of Toronto and was named national coach of the year in 2008. And he spent time as an assistant coach with the Canadian men’s national team. He’s since retired from coaching but acts as a consultant for multiple programs across Ontario.
In this interview you’ll get a clear sense of what it takes to be a successful basketball coach. Coach Katz never stopped learning throughout his career and valued building relationships with everyone in his program. If you listen back to some of our previous episodes you’ll find those common themes amongst all the great coaches we’ve interviewed.
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Mike Katz Topics
02:52 How did you get into coaching?
04:19 Making the transition from high school to the collegiate level.
05:14 What made your program at Humber College so successful?
07:15 Consulting for other coaches and still constantly learning.
08:47 The importance of mentorship.
10:59 What does your role as a consultant entail?
12:35 What differences did you find between coaching in the Canadian College system and the Canadian University system?
14:03 Mike Katz shares his memories as an assistant coach with the Canadian national team and what he learned along the way.
16:05 What insight can you share about watching Steve Nash in practices?
17:08 Where do you see the men’s national program right now?
19:11 What do you see younger coaches doing well and what can they improve upon?
22:09 What’s the youngest age group that you get to watch these days?
23:49 Mike Katz shares his coaching formula.
27:08 The bonds and relationships you build with your players defines your success as a coach.
28:47 The benefits of not screaming about or correcting every mistake.
29:43 Mike Katz shares his most memorable coaching moments.
FULL COURT PRESS
32:36 Do you prefer FIBA rules or Federation rules?
32:42 What’s your favourite gym you have ever coached in?
32:50 Do you prefer watching college basketball or professional?
32:56 What do you miss most about coaching?
33:11 What’s your favourite interest outside of basketball or sports?
