Canada Basketball is pleased to announce the appointment of Mike MacKay to the newly created position of Performance Manager of the women’s high performance program (WHPP). The role has been made possible through funding provided by Own The Podium (OTP) after having selected Canada Basketball’s WHPP as one of its targeted summer team sports.

MacKay, a long-time basketball coach, mentor and educator, looks forward to contributing to the program. "I am excited for this opportunity to not only build upon the lessons learned, but also to be a part of the synergistic team of dedicated individuals currently in the organization. The task ahead will be challenging, but I believe in the goal and in the talented athletes of this country."

MacKay will be primarily responsible for the continued development of the women’s program’s high performance athlete profile and the identification of standards against which Canada’s female athletes at the senior, development and youth levels can be measured. Through his deep knowledge base and familiarity with Canada’s player pool, MacKay will provide technical leadership to the women’s Targeted Athlete Strategy (TAS) program. The native of Truro, N.S. will also be counted upon to assist and guide the continued development of Canada Basketball’s development and age-group women’s national team coaches.

Mike MacKay returns to the organization after a two-year absence. He previously served as Canada Basketball’s Manager of Coaching Education and Development. When asked about continuing his work with Canada Basketball, he asked, “What better job could there be than helping your country compete for a gold medal in the sport you love?”

Denise Dignard, Director of the WHPP, sees MacKay’s homecoming as a boon to the organization. “We are thrilled to have Mike join our women’s high performance program as we embark on projects targeted at developing the quality and depth of world-class athletes in our system that can achieve podium results. His skill set, expertise and extensive knowledge will be a tremendous addition to our overall team.”

Canada Basketball’s Executive Director, Michele O’Keefe, echoed Dignard’s sentiments. “The appointment of a Performance Manager allows Canada Basketball to apply the research and knowledge necessary to train high performance athletes and align those principles with our coach education model to assist our partners as they train athletes in the younger long-term athlete development (LTAD) stages. Mike MacKay is world-class in his vision of specific targeted training and we will be able to transfer that knowledge to our development system. This is a leap forward for basketball in Canada.”

MacKay rejoins Canada Basketball at a time where the women’s high performance program has seen some of its strongest successes in recent years. His addition to the organization demonstrates Canada Basketball’s commitment to excellence as it prepares for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and beyond.

‍