‘Coach K’ puts faith to work on court for St. Francis Xavier University Steve Konchalski huddles with one of his many X-Men teams. Photo courtesy St. Francis Xavier University
‘Coach K’ puts faith to work on court for St. Francis Xavier University By Wendy-Ann Clarke, The Catholic Register March 5, 2021
It has not been the final season long time St. Francis Xavier University head basketball coach Steve Konchalski imagined.
After a remarkable 46 years leading the men’s team at the school in Antigonish, N.S., the legendary coach will retire from the position he’s held since 1975 when players wore short shorts and two stripe socks pulled up to their mid calves. The school was scheduled to host the Canadian university championships a fitting close to a storied career but like so many things, those plans went awry some time ago due to COVID.
HALIFAX The man known in Canadian basketball circles as ‘Coach K’ is prepared to hang up the clipboard for the last time. After 46-years of guiding the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men basketball team, Steve Konchalski’s time behind the bench is coming to an end. His final season has not gone according to plan, with the pandemic just one of several personal tragedies that Coach K has faced in the past year, but he handles it with grace and perspective. Konchalski fell in love with basketball as a child, growing up in Elmhurt, New York. He came to Nova Scotia as a skinny 17-year-old, and burst onto the scene as a star player for the Acadia Axemen, helping lead the team to a National Championship in 1963.
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Subscriber only HAVING settled back into Canadian life, Ipswich basketballer Cooper Ward has a heartfelt message for his friends. That I miss everyone so much and that I hope I am making them proud, Ward said. It s tough you know. I don t really keep in contact with them cause it s so hard with the time difference and I can t talk to everyone at once. I just don t want to forget anyone I have met cause everyone has played a part in where I am today. The Ipswich product returned to Canada in October last year to continue his college scholarship with Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.