Calgary Surge Announce Steve Konchalski as Team's Senior Advisor
February 15, 2023 – Steve “Coach K” Konchalski, former Senior Advisor of Basketball Operations with the Newfoundland Growlers, will be the Calgary Surge’s new Senior Advisor, the team announced Wednesday.
“Steve Konchalski will be an integral part of our basketball operations staff. He is a pioneer in the world of basketball in our country. His wealth of knowledge and experience will prove to be valuable assets in building a team culture that translates to winning championships,” said Surge General Manager Shane James.
Konchalski served as the head coach of the St. Francis Xavier University men’s basketball team from 1975 to 2021. During his tenure at StFX, he led the X-Men to 13 National Tournament appearances, including three National Championships in 1993, 2000, and 2001. He also earned CIS Coach of the Year honours during the 2001 championship season. He ended his 46-year coaching career at StFX with 919 career victories in 1495 games, making him the most winningest coach in Canadian university basketball history.
"Steve Konchalski has been a close friend for over four decades. He is truly a world-class coach and leader! He relates perfectly to everyone in the sport, from players to coaches to front-office personnel. His invaluable experience of more than 30 years assisting with Canada's National team program and developing the sport in that country will serve the Calgary Surge well. Certainly, Steve will help set the culture for the franchise's future success. His experience, elite talent evaluation skills, and global perspective will surely help the organization maximize its full potential," said five-time NCAA champion (Duke University) and three-time Olympic gold medal winner (United States national team), coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Konchalski also served as the assistant coach of the Canadian Men’s National Team from 1973 to 1988, including the Olympic Games in 1976, 1984 and 1988. He assisted Canada to fourth-place finishes at the 1976 and the 1984 Summer Olympics in addition to being a member of the coaching staff of the 1983 World University Games where Canada captured gold. He then became the head coach of the Canadian Men’s National Team, from 1995 to 1998, where he coached two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash and led Canada to victory at the 1996 William Jones Cup in Taiwan.
“I am honoured to be serving as the Senior Advisor for the Calgary Surge’s 2023 inaugural season. I have dedicated my life to coaching basketball and developing basketball talent in Canada. I am thrilled at the opportunity to build a championship-winning roster here in Calgary alongside General Manager Shane James, Vice-Chairman and President Jason Ribeiro, and the rest of the Surge Front Office staff,” said Steve “Coach K” Konchalski.
This is one of several exciting announcements about the team and the upcoming season from the Surge. These will be celebrated at an evening community event held at the Genesis Centre on March 2, 2023. More details will be released soon.
About the Calgary Surge
The Calgary franchise originated as the Guelph Nighthawks in 2018, one of the six founding members of the CEBL. The organization was relocated from the league’s smallest market to Calgary in August 2022 as part of the growing league's business strategy to have teams in Canada’s largest metropolitan areas. Chairman Usman Tahir Jutt and Vice-Chairman and President Jason Ribeiro saw an opportunity to bridge Calgary’s diverse communities together through sport and entertainment and to create a sense of belonging. For more information, visit www.calgarysurge.ca.
About the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL)
A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 71 percent of its roster being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, top NCAA programs, and USPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May to August. More information about
the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague
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