Kodiaks soccer and futsal programs welcome back Mike Racz as head coach

Mike Racz has been named head coach of the Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks soccer and futsal men’s and women’s programs.

Racz was head coach of the soccer program for five seasons from 2012-2016. Throughout his run, he was awarded Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) South women’s coach of the year (2013-14) and coached two Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) All-Canadians (Cole Runge and Nico Pasquotti) and CCAA player of the year (Nico Pasquotti). 

For the past two seasons, Racz has been a part of the Kodiaks staff as an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s soccer and futsal teams.

“It’s a bit surreal how much the program has grown over the past several years, yet it still feels familiar in all the best ways,” says Racz. “Coming back feels like coming home. My experience as a head coach, combined with my recent time as an assistant, has made me familiar with the program and will help us navigate this transition successfully.”

Racz has great admiration for retiring head coach Sean Carey and the incredible job he has done with the program. “He has set the foundation for continued success and has made the Kodiaks soccer program a consistent contender for the ACAC Championships. It’s also been amazing to see the resources now available to athletics and how much our athletic department has strengthened the Kodiaks name within the polytechnic and the community.”

Stepping back into the program, Racz brings a wealth of knowledge that he didn’t have during his first tenure. After leaving the college in 2016, he continued coaching at the post-secondary level and worked under his mentor, Randy Bardock, at the University of Lethbridge. Racz learned a great deal from him and the players during his time with that program. 

He also had the opportunity to obtain a teaching position at St. Francis Junior High School, where he has further developed his leadership and coaching skills while working with students in nearly every sport the school has to offer. Some of those former students are now competing at the post-secondary level, including on the Kodiaks soccer teams. Additionally, Racz has completed a Master of Education in Coaching Studies and various coaching courses that have fundamentally improved his approach.

“I feel like I left the program with unfinished business, and I hope to use the lessons from my time away to drive success with the Kodiaks soccer program,” says Racz.

Racz believes the expectations for this program and its success throughout the season will remain high, grounded in the three pillars of Kodiaks Athletics. The team will continue striving for excellence in academics, athletics and the overall student-athlete experience.

Team culture is shaped by the student-athletes and guided by the coaches. Racz says his goal is to empower student-athletes to take the lead in this process, fostering a culture where they bring their teammates along and drive collective success.

“We are incredibly excited for Mike’s return to the helm of both programs,” says Todd Caughlin, Kodiaks Athletics and Recreation Services Director. “The life and professional experience that Mike gained since he left back in December of 2016 made him a clear choice in continuing on with the foundation that Sean helped build!”

Caughlin says Racz’s connections to the local soccer community, working with the Lethbridge Soccer Association in several different roles, will help the Kodiaks recruit local talent, of which the region has an abundance.

“This is an exciting time for Kodiaks soccer/futsal, and I’m excited to see where Mike and his coaching staff take the programs,” Caughlin says.

Next season the Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks will host the ACAC Soccer Championships and Racz is excited for the challenge and opportunity to win a banner at home.

Racz now begins the process of recruiting and building the rosters for next season. The Kodiaks will host a pair of identification camps in April for prospective players. For more information and how to register for the camp’s visit: https://gokodiaks.ca/Kodiaks_Talent_ID_Camps