Basketball coach Carly Clarke is growing the game – from TMU to the Toronto Tempo

Clarke leaves legacy of joy, greatness with TMU Bold, pivots to Canada’s first WNBA team

By Lindsey Craig | April 16, 2026

More than 20 years ago, Carly Clarke wrote an essay about what makes a great coach.

Now, with four OUA titles and a U Sports national championship with the TMU Bold, two Olympic Games with Team Canada – and the recently announced move to assistant coach with the Toronto Tempo – she’s living the blueprint she once wrote as a first-year university student.

Today, what she scribbled down in English class isn’t just theory.

It’s how she leads.

Clarke’s mom found the essay in her daughter’s trunk at their Nova Scotia home and gave it to her this past Christmas.

The theme was unmistakable.

“It was so interesting to see how my philosophy now mirrors what I wrote,” Clarke said.

A snapshot of part of the essay Carly Clarke wrote in her first year of university about how to be a great coach. Her mom wrapped it up and gave it to her this past Christmas. (Photo courtesy of Carly Clarke)

TMU to WNBA

Clarke was announced the new assistant coach for Canada’s first WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo, in March of this year. She’s the first and only Canadian on the coaching roster.

“I am both honoured and excited to join the inaugural Toronto Tempo coaching staff,” said Clarke.

“The opportunity to coach in the best league in the world is a dream come true. To be able to do that right here at home in Toronto makes it that much more special,” she continued.

In a Toronto Tempo press release about the announcement, Head Coach Sandy Brondello said the team is “thrilled” to have Clarke on its roster.

“Carly is a coach players trust and respect. She brings tremendous energy, a deep understanding of the game, and a real passion for developing athletes every day. Her experience at every level of sport and her commitment to excellence make her a perfect fit for what we’re building,” Brondello said in the release.

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‘Joy and fun’

Clarke has been head coach at TMU from 2012-2026, establishing the program as one of the country’s elite.

She led the women’s team to four OUA titles – including a championship win this past season – and the 2022 national U Sports title.

She also serves as assistant coach with Canada’s senior women’s national and Olympic teams.

Among awards received, she’s earned OUA and U SPORTS Coach of the Year honours, including being named OUA Coach of the Year across all sports.

She’s coached Canada at two Olympic Games and multiple World Cups, including a 2023 U19 World Cup bronze medal.

The secret to her success?

“Joy and fun,” she says, themes that appeared in that early essay. “And not being too focused on the outcome, but being committed to the process of getting better every single day.”

Carly Clarke surrounded by TMU Bold players as she speaks to them in a huddle.

Carly Clarke says success for her is less about the trophies won, and more about “the relationships with the people that help you get there.” (Photo courtesy of TMU Athletics and Recreation)

Champion mindset

Scroll through the TMU Bold’s social media and evidence of her philosophy abounds: Players doing playful impressions of their coach. Celebrations in the locker room. Laughter.

“We want everyone to feel they can be themselves here,” she said of the Bold squad. “A culture of joy… sometimes that fun comes from working hard, celebrating with each other.”

But don’t mistake joy for softness.

Her Instagram bio reads “champion mindset,” inspired by former NFL coach Bill Walsh: “Champions behave like champions before they become champions.”

“It’s an understanding that how you go about your work every single day is what allows you to become a champion,” she said.

TMU, national team a two-way pipeline

Since 2017, Clarke has worked with Canada Basketball’s senior women’s national team.

“You’re exposed to the best players, the best basketball and different styles from around the world,” she said.

Over the years, Clarke has been bringing that experience back to TMU – new systems, new ways to teach.

And the exchange has run both ways. During the longer university season, she’s tested and refined strategies she later uses on the national stage.

“When you have a shorter prep time,” she said, “this is the best way to teach it.”

Carly Clarke speaks to players in Team Canada jerseys from the sideline.

Carly Clarke says by coaching Team Canada, she’s been exposed to the best players and coaches in the world – giving her important learnings to bring back to TMU – and now, Canada’s first WNBA team. (Photo courtesy of Carly Clarke)

Training with Olympians

Sometimes, the connection between the two teams has been even more direct.

National team and pro players have often trained with the Bold in the off-season.

Last summer, one incoming TMU athlete found herself in a workout alongside Olympic guard Sami Hill.

“Her first workout was up against an Olympian,” Clarke said. “She may have been crapping her pants a little bit,” she joked, noting that the exchange has elevated both sides – sharpening Clarke’s coaching and expanding opportunities for her athletes.

Growing the game – and those who lead it

Basketball in Canada – particularly on the women’s side – is surging. Clarke has watched the shift firsthand.

“The resources are night and day,” she said of the national program compared to earlier years.

She also understands the importance of representation in that growth.

“Having female coaches is so important. We understand what players might be going through,” Clarke said, adding, “You can’t be what you can’t see.”

She sees varsity teams as central to the current momentum, and credits TMU for investing in its athletic programs, noting that in terms of league play, varsity teams have been the highest level of basketball for women in Canada.

She notes that that’s about to change – with the Toronto Tempo’s first game on May 8 – which will be Clarke’s WNBA debut as well – it’s another marker of the sport’s growth in the city and the country.

She also praises the university’s resources, including the Mattamy Athletic Centre.

“Toronto is the centre of basketball in the country. With TMU in the heart of the city, by having the MAC, it creates opportunities,” she said.

‘Ability to do hard things’

Clarke is also creating opportunities.

Her former assistant coaches are now leading their own programs. Former Bold player Stefanija Mrvaljevic is now assistant coach with TMU.

“It’s something I’ve taken pride in – developing our players, our staff and our people,” Clarke said.

She’s also proud of what they take away, which goes far beyond the court.

“An awareness of the challenges they’ve conquered, the confidence they’ve gained, their resilience, leadership and the ability to do hard things,” she said.

Yet another sign that that essay she once wrote is far more than a paper – it’s what she lives each day.

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Lindsey Craig is a communications specialist at Toronto Metropolitan University.

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Basketball coach Carly Clarke is growing the game – from TMU to the Toronto Tempo

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