“Really, I was like a fly on the wall, shadowing the coaches, absorbing as much as I can. I got to watch all the practices and go to the games in the evening. It was great. I’m super thankful. Not many coaches get to see the day-to-day inner workings of an NBA team and a NCAA team. To be included in that space meant a lot.
“Putting yourself in those spaces…is how you grow as a coach and a person. That was a big takeaway for me,” says Katie Upham, X-Women Basketball assistant coach.
For a basketball coach looking to hone her skills, one week this past July proved a perfect set-up for Katie Upham ’25. That’s when the X-Women Basketball assistant coach spent her days with the NBA’s Utah Jazz and the University of Utah women’s basketball team before settling in each evening to catch four NBA teams play.
“It was a lot of basketball that week,” jokes Ms. Upham of North River, NS and a 2025 StFX B.Ed. graduate. She was in Salt Lake City as part of a coaching development opportunity with the Utah Jazz.
She was selected last year for the U Sports Female Apprenticeship Coach Program, which brought together 18 young female coaches across multiple sports from across the country. Part of the program included funds for professional development.
“(X-Women head coach) Matt (Spencer) and I talked about it, and we thought a hands-on experience where I could learn would be best. We reached out to the Utah Jazz and the University of Utah to see if I could shadow them for a week.”
They approached the Utah Jazz as Coach Spencer had a mutual connection with the team through another coach. In a Maritime connection, Jazz assistant coach Scott Morrison is from Morell, PEI, a fishing village of about 300 people. Along with shadowing the NBA team, he suggested they also reach out to the University of Utah women’s team. In another cool local connection, the coach’s wife is from Truro, NS—where Ms. Upham played her high school basketball.
While she was in Salt Lake City during the NBA off-season, her time coincided with the Utah Jazz’s Salt Lake Summer League, which featured pro players from the Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Philadelphia 76ers.
“Really, I was like a fly on the wall, shadowing the coaches, absorbing as much as I can. I got to watch all the practices and go to the games in the evening. It was great. I’m super thankful. Not many coaches get to see the day-to-day inner workings of an NBA team and a NCAA team. To be included in that space meant a lot.
“Putting yourself in those spaces…is how you grow as a coach and a person. That was a big takeaway for me,” she says.
“It was also inspiring to see Scott in that role, seeing him succeed in the NBA. It motivated me to dream bigger and to continue to put myself in these spaces.”
Her goal is to keep growing and learning as a coach. For now, that means focusing on putting in the work and taking advantage of all opportunities.
One thing that stood out for her from the experience is how much female representation there was, including with the G League, the Jazz’s farm team. “It was cool to see that visibility.”
X-WOMEN POINT GUARD, TEAM CAPTAIN
Ms. Upham first came to StFX in 2022 and starred for the next two seasons as a point guard and team captain for the Blue and White, rejoining Coach Spencer, who had been her assistant coach when she played for the University of Calgary while pursuing her undergraduate degree.
She stayed on in Calgary for a couple of years during the COVID-19 pandemic, working as a strength and conditioning coach. When Mr. Spencer landed the X-Women head coaching job at StFX, in his hometown of Antigonish, he talked with her about coming to play. She still had two years of eligibility left. “I realized I wasn’t done being an athlete.
“At StFX, I had an incredible experience playing.”
She won the team MVP award her first season and was recognized during her final season with both the Coach’s Award and the Leaders of Distinction Award.
She says it meant a lot to her for Coach Spencer to bring her here with him. “He’s rebuilt the team here. I think we’re building something special at StFX.”
This past year, she worked as an assistant coach while completing her education degree at StFX.
“I had always known I wanted to get into coaching, and it was something Matt and I talked about. It was a perfect next step for me,” she says.
“I’ve been working with Matt since I was 18 years old, and now we’re on the same staff coaching a university team. That’s pretty special.”
“He’s always been a huge support to me.”
Last season she says she felt trusted in her new role, building her confidence and voice as a coach—a perfect profession for her to express her love of the game and her love of teaching.
“Basketball has been my whole life. It has always been part of my life. To be able to pursue that as a career in coaching is huge. To be able to give back as a coach is really meaningful.”
