TMU basketball coach helps lead Team Canada at 2024 Olympics
TMU Bold women’s head coach Carly Clarke returns to the 2024 Olympics as assistant coach of Team Canada – with a goal of redemption. (Photo: Muad Issa/Canada Basketball)
Carly Clarke is packing her bags once again for the Olympic Games – but this time, the assistant coach of the Canadian women’s national team can more easily focus on the task at hand: helping Team Canada reach the podium.
The last time that Clarke– also head coach of the TMU Bold women’s basketball team– was Olympics-bound was for the 2020 Tokyo Games – when the COVID-19 pandemic and a dizzying array of health and safety protocols were the toughest challenge of all.
“Priority number one is trying to win COVID,” Clarke told TorontoMet Today in advance of the Tokyo tournament (which was actually played in 2021).
At the Tokyo Olympics, players and coaches had to mask at all times (except when training), stay within the confines of their hotel and training centre, report for mandatory Covid-19 testing each morning, and had extremely limited training time together before the tournament began.
For Paris 2024, she says it’s a whole new ball game.
“I mean, we're allowed to socialize and go for dinner,” she said, slightly chuckling at the novelty of the concept.
“This year, I think the chance to train together more, design the intensity of our schedule, be able to connect, and also rest and recover appropriately before the Games start, is probably the biggest difference that stands out right now,” she said.
Team Canada poses for a photo prior to qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. TMU Bold head coach, Carly Clarke, assistant coach of the national team, is second from right. (Photo: Muad Issa/Canada Basketball)
Bringing Olympic experience to TMU
Clarke has been assistant coach of the Canadian senior national team since 2017, and worked with younger national teams since 2011 – while also at the helm of the TMU Bold women’s team since 2012.
She’s thankful for the chance to be behind the bench for both squads.
“The privilege is never lost on me that, you know, I have one of the coolest jobs in the world,” she said.
She says the Olympics experience helps her in her TMU role.
“Getting a chance to compete against the best in the world – there is no better professional development. I'm always learning things that I can bring back to TMU and our program,”
“I'm watching other coaches manage the best players in the world and a big staff, learning how they get everyone to perform in big moments, while also making sure that they feel valued and are growing. These are all things that we want to integrate within our program at TMU,” she explained, adding that the lessons learned are shared with other TMU coaches as well.
Clarke says she’s also been learning from Canada’s new head coach, Víctor Lapeña, who joined the team in 2022 from Spain.
“He brings some international flavour, both in personality and approach...the Spanish are known for being fairly passionate, and he’s not shy to show excitement,” she said, adding, “We’re now saying ‘Vamos’ (‘let’s go’) a lot.”
Aiming for redemption
As for the team’s goals in Paris, Clarke says that for her, it’s all about redemption, since, in Tokyo, the Canadian squad was just inched out of quarter final play.
“The Olympic tournament is the toughest one in the world. But we have belief in our team. Our goal is to be on the podium,” she said.
To help get there – the Canadian team is ranked 5th – Team Canada boasts four WNBA players: Laeticia Amihere, Bridget Carleton, Aaliyah Edwards and Kia Nurse, along with other top players Natalie Achonwa (external link) , Kayla Alexander (external link) and Sami Hill (external link) , among many.
(Adding to the benefits of her Olympic involvement, Clarke says many of the national players have also trained with the Bold when in Toronto or recovering from injury – “a huge opportunity for our varsity players.”)
In addition to roster talent, a strong defensive strategy may also help the Canadian contingent reach the quarter final this time.
“If we can advance to that stage, I look forward to seeing what we can do from there,” Clarke said.
Team Canada assistant coach Carly Clarke says the experience she gains at the Olympics is instrumental in her leadership development, which benefits her in her role at TMU. (Photo: Muad Issa/Canada Basketball)
Growing the game
She also hopes the team benefits from the presence of the Canadian men’s team in Paris as well – it’s the first time since 2000 that both Canada’s men's and women's contingents are competing.
“I think that's just going to amplify the storytelling around the team and around basketball in Canada,” she said, noting that it’s been an exciting time for the growth of the game in general, especially with a Toronto-bound WNBA team.
The recent surge in attention on women’s sports has had a positive impact on both the national and TMU squad, she said.
With broadcasters now showing more WNBA games, she said, “I think the biggest thing I've noticed is that we'll talk about women's basketball way more because we're able to say, ‘Hey, did you see the game last night?’ Or, ‘Did you see this play?’” she said. “It existed before, but it was harder to view the games.”
Opener against Team France
The Canadian women’s first Olympic match-up will be on July 29 against the host country, France, which is ranked 7th.
“That will certainly be an exciting one,” said Clarke, who hopes the TMU community follows along.
“Tune in and cheer us on. You know, recognize how special it is to even be in the Olympics, let alone potentially having the opportunity to win a medal,” she said. “And then, hopefully, it will inspire people to come out and support TMU throughout the year too.”
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