Larry A. McKenzie

 "Blowing the Whistle on Defeat and Despair"

 Coach Larry McKenzie has the winning words and strategies for your business, church, school or organization. Larry successfully inspires audiences everywhere to enjoy, achieve and contribute to their organization, community and business. 

During his nine year tenure as Varsity basketball coach at Minneapolis Patrick Henry, Larry has used his ability to motivate young people in establishing one of the most successful high school boys basketball programs in the nation. Under his guidance, Minneapolis Patrick Henry has won a record four consecutive state championships. The National Federation of High School Coaches Association recently honored him with the 2001 Coach Award for Minnesota. With the same vision and skill used on the court, Larry has inspired countless youth and adults off the court.
Larry is a long time community advocate with 22 years of experience working with urban youth. His service to young people has earned him numerous awards and recognition including KARE 11's Eleven Who Care, KTCA's Everyday Hero, and the Minneapolis Park Board's Volunteer of the Year.

His commitment to the community has been valued  as a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, serving on the Metropolitan Council Minority Issues Advisory Committee, and as a board member of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Minneapolis, the North Community YMCA, , the Northside Development Council, a numerous other non profit organizations.

Background Larry's professional background includes 25 years of business experience in management, sales, and marketing—including 10 years in the non-profit sector. His experience includes serving  as Executive Director of Hospitality House Youth Directions, an urban youth ministry, the Urban Director at Youth Frontiers which provides character education to numerous Minnesota schools, Executive Director and Program Director of Right Step Academy, an urban charter school and mentoring program.

He is a 1980 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, River Falls, holding a Bachelor of Science in Political Science.

What Fellow Coaches Have to Say About Coach McKenzie

“Larry McKenzie is bright, hard working and an inspiration to me and the young men he coaches and mentors.  It has been a privilege of mine to have known Larry the last ten years.  I consider him a friend and a blessing in my life.  He is an outstanding coach and an even better person.”

-         Jim Shaw, Assistant Coach at the University of Washington

“I feel in my eight years as the head coach at the University of Minnesota I had the pleasure to get to know Larry McKenzie as a coach, father, and friend.  I am here to say he excels at all three.  Everyone knows what a first class coach Larry is – his record speaks for itself.  What most people in the stands do not know is that he is every bit as good of a person as he is a coach.  He trusted me to coach his Son – I would return that honor in a heartbeat!”

-         Dan Monson, Head Coach at Long Beach State & former University of Minnesota Head Coach