Head Coach ~Mark Lindsay

Born:  1/16/1965, Topeka, Kansas

Married:  wife Robyn

Children:  Rachel, Keyaira, Mark Jr., Kameron

Work:  UPS 

          I grew up in Topeka Kansas and graduated from Topeka High School, home of the "Trojans", in 1983. I played competitive basketball with players like Tommy Meiers's (Washburn U), Mark Turgeon (KU, Wichita State Head Coach) and other good players from the Topeka area up until my freshman year in high school.  I also I played  other sports like baseball, football, tennis and bowling.  I was 6'1" and made the freshman team as a guard.  I had played the forward position up till then and was not prepared to play basketball as a guard.  I was not told, in all my years of playing that I needed to develop my shooting and ball handling skills, my comfort level was about 5-10 feet from the basket.  Basketball was changing, players where shooting from farther and farther out, players were getting taller and I wasn't growing anymore.  Being unprepared and not believing that I would be successful, I quit the team.  This is when I begin to develop a passion for coaching.  Realizing that if someone would have told me that I needed those skills, I would have work on them. 

          My first coaching experience came after I had quit the freshman team.  In my sophomore year I started a PAL (Police Athletic team) with others players not playing school ball.  I was player/coach of my peers. 

            I started coaching again with my youngest son’s team, with the Salvation Army in November, 1999.   I believe that as a coach, it is important to develop a player to his full potential.   The team was very successful, we were undefeated our first year.  The second year we went  6-2, losing our first two games.  In our third year, 2001 I envisioned playing at the highest level of basketball in the Kansas City, Missouri area.  We chose the PABL (Premiere American Basketball League).  Our team name at the time was the  “Timberwolves”.  Soon after deciding to move up in basketball, the country was devastated by 9-1-1 attacks.  It changed the way I thought about basketball and life.  I wanted the team to represent all the good that America stood for.  I changed the name to Spartans.  Spartans stood for strength, courage, heart, commitment and determination.  I wanted our colors to reflect the theme of our country, I chose Navy, Crimson and White.  Moving forward this has lead us to the present day Kansas City Spartans Basketball Club, with 5 teams, over 40 players and 5 coaches.