Michael Katz has been appointed head coach of the Varsity Blues men’s basketball program. He replaces Sherwyn Benn, who served as interim head coach for the 2003-04 season, in which the Blues were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round after finishing 6th in the East with a 6-16 win-loss record.
The announcement of the new head coach was made in a short, but marked ceremony by the dean of co-curricular education at the Faculty of Physical Education and Health, Liz Hoffman, who was thrilled to have Katz on board the U of T team.
“Mike has shown incredible commitment to his teams and players, as well as having an intense passion for the game, matched with extensive knowledge of the sport,” said Hoffman.
Katz’s coaching record speaks for itself. He is currently the assistant coach of the Canadian national team. He led the team to a silver medal at the World University Games in Sicily in 1997. He was also in charge of the Ontario provincial team from 1986 to 1989 that won a gold and a silver medal under his guidance.
To add to his workload, Katz had been coaching the men’s basketball team at Humber College since 1984. Success followed the gifted mentor even at this level, as his team has won five national and seven provincial titles during his reign. In addition, seven players have gone on to be All-Canadians.
Katz’s accolades are impressive, but the current challenge is significant. He will attempt to provide stability to the Blues, who have seen three new head coaches in as many years, and have registered three consecutive sub 500 records .
Last season’s 6-16 record, however, is not as disappointing as it sounds. With seven first year players on the roster, the squad was expected to struggle, but they battled their way into the playoffs nonetheless.
The upcoming season will also see personnel changes, as the team will be without captain Jonathon Taweel, whose leadership and point guard numbers led the team to the playoffs last season. The Blues will also miss the veteran presence of forward Michael Tatham. Both Taweel and Tatham will be leaving the team after completing five years of eligibility.
The departures will mean that young players like Kelly Makatuma and David Tron will be required to play larger roles next season. they are entering their third and second years respectively.
The new bench boss made it clear that there is room for his squad to improve next season: “It would have to be the post as the squad lacks size in the centre position.” The performance by core players has been impressive, but the bench needs to come up strong and execute plays if the team is to make it deep into the playoff run.” Katz also mentioned his goals for his new squad for the 2004-05 season: “Other than creating more team unity and getting the players to enjoy the experience, an improvement on last season’s record would be crucial. Blues’ fans should be optimistic.”
It is not clear whether the team will have the success that Humber College has had with Katz in the upcoming season, but there is definitely promise that the inexperiencedBlues – the majority of them having another three to four years of playing eligibility, will mature under their new head coach and become a formidable team to play against within that time.
