About Coach

Mark Gottfried has spent a lifetime in the game of basketball. Mark has played and coached the game at the highest level. He has been a part of a national championship team while an assistant coach at UCLA and has been a head college basketball coach at Murray State, Cal State Northridge, Alabama, and NC State. Mark has been named the Conference Coach of the Year three times and has numerous wins against number-one ranked teams throughout the country.

Having been a high-level division one college basketball coach, I feel blessed to have had an amazing career. I have stood on the top box as a national champion at UCLA as an assistant coach and I’ve also been the head coach at several Division I schools, including Murray State University, The University of Alabama, North Carolina State University, and California State University Northridge.

I worked in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks and also spent two years at ESPN, engaging with audiences in their living rooms, discussing hoops. My teams have beaten teams that were ranked number one in the country on several occasions and I even led Alabama to its only number-one ranking in school history. I’ve taken teams into tradition-rich universities like Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky & Louisville, and beaten them on their home court. I have also seen and experienced the heartaches of the coaching profession.

Although I was fortunate to experience the highs of coaching, I also experienced the lows. I’ve experienced being fired and also experienced the heartache of divorce in my personal life. It’s my belief that picking myself up off the mat each time is my most rewarding experience. I have the privilege of learning so many lessons through the lens of athletics and I enjoy sharing the lessons I’ve learned with teams, organizations, and individuals.

I was considered to be the “turnaround” coach, meaning the coach who was brought in to turn failing teams into winning programs. Throughout my 30 years of coaching at the highest level, I developed a philosophy on what it takes to be successful. When I speak to organizations and teams, I share these beliefs in a vulnerable and authentic way that resonates with everyone in attendance, I speak about a “get it done” mentality, overcoming obstacles, developing day habits, selling a shared vision, and setting goals. I have had a lifetime of helping individuals and teams reach their highest potential and perform at a high achiever level. I have a story to tell and would love to encourage, inspire, and transform your organization into reaching new heights! I often say that “I’m just one beggar trying to show another beggar where to find some bread”. Connect with me to learn more about how I can help your organization achieve its highest level of success.