The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
04.09.2015 | Men's Basketball
Sports communications consultant and author joins Shaka Smart’s staff in Austin.
AUSTIN, Texas — A sports communications consultant and author who has 30 years of coaching experience at both the collegiate and high school levels, Denny Kuiper (pronounced: KYE-per) has been named Special Assistant to the Head Men's Basketball Coach at The University of Texas, Head Coach Shaka Smart announced Thursday. The 66-year-old Kuiper begins his appointment immediately.
"Coach Kuiper has been around a lot of successful basketball over the years," Smart said. "He has a unique feel for what goes into winning. With his counseling background, he really understands the mental side of preparing for games and dealing with adversity and success. In a lot of ways, Denny will be a coach of our coaches. He also understands what goes into a player becoming the best version of himself and is very good at conveying that message."
Kuiper has spent the previous 14 years as a sports communication consultant, working with several college and high school sports teams and individual coaches to develop positive team chemistry, relationships, trust, open communication and a healthy environment. He assisted coaches and athletes on developing their mental and emotional capacity to become better teams and athletes.
Kuiper worked as consultant with VCU's 2011 Final Four and Marquette's 2003 Final Four teams. He also took a series of college all-star teams overseas during the summers from 2004-07 to Chile, Slovenia, Austria and Spain.
In 2008, he authored the book "Know Yourself as a Coach," which focuses on developing the mental side of coaching, assessing one's coaching style, analyzing where one's strengths and weaknesses lie, and honing one's people skills.
Prior to his time as a consultant and author, Kuiper worked for 30 years as a guidance counselor and coach. He got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, Central Michigan University, in 1971-72. Kuiper served as head coach at Mount Pleasant (Mich.) Sacred Heart High School for three years (1973-76), leading his team to the Class D state championship in 1975.
He was an assistant coach at Northwood Institute (Midland, Mich.) in 1976-77 and the head coach at Midland Bullock Creek High School (Midland, Mich.) during the following season. Kuiper served two stints as head coach at Mount Pleasant High School (Mount Pleasant, Mich.) for a total of eight seasons (1978-83 and 1986-89). During this time, he posted a 142-44 (.763) record, captured five White Pine Conference titles and led the team to a Class B state runner-up finish in 1981.
Kuiper spent a total of six years as a part-time assistant coach at Central Michigan (1983-86 and 1989-92). He returned to Mount Pleasant High School and worked seven seasons as an assistant varsity coach (1992-99) before coaching the freshman team at Mount Pleasant for two years (1999-2001).
Kuiper also taught physical education at Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart School (1973-76) and was a guidance counselor at Midland Bullock Creek High School (1976-78), West Intermediate School (1978-87) and Mount Pleasant High School (1987-2001). During his time at Mount Pleasant High School, his responsibilities included academic planning and scheduling, college and scholarship applications, coordinating the NCAA Clearinghouse program, personal counseling and developing a master schedule for teaching assignments.
Kuiper played basketball for four seasons at Central Michigan (1967-71) and helped the Chippewas advance to a pair of NCAA Division II Tournament appearances in 1970 and 1971. He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education/sociology from Central Michigan in 1971. Kuiper went on to earn a master's degree in guidance & counseling from Central Michigan in 1976 and a second master's degree in physical education from Central Michigan in 1977.
A native of Hudsonville, Mich., Kuiper was born on March 29, 1949. He and his wife, Terree, have four children (Jeff Yardley, Melissa Mahoney, Jason Yardley and Amy Moore) and 10 grandchildren.
| Birthdate | March 29, 1949 |
|---|---|
| Hometown | Hudsonville, Mich. |
| Education | Central Michigan University; bachelor's in physical education/sociology; 1971 |
| Central Michigan University; master's in guidance and counseling; 1976 | |
| Central Michigan University; master's in physical education; 1977 | |
| Wife | Terree |
| Children | Jeff Yardley, Melissa Mahoney, Jason Yardley and Amy Moore |
