After spending two years as a graduate assistant for the University of Kentucky basketball program, Austin Kidd was officially announced as the FGCU men’s basketball video coordinator on Monday.
“We are excited to add someone with Austin’s pedigree and character to our coaching staff,” said head coach Michael Fly. “He has, ironically, followed a very similar career path to my own by coaching at a small college in Kentucky and then becoming a video coordinator at the high major level. I think it’s important to surround your players with winners and as a fellow UK graduate, I know the expectations and success that comes with Kentucky basketball and the program he is coming from.”
“First and foremost, I’m thankful for this opportunity under Coach Fly and am excited to be a part of a high-caliber program like FGCU,” said Kidd. “It is a tremendous opportunity to help this staff continue elevating the FGCU program as we gear up for the new season. I also want to thank Coach Calipari and his entire staff at Kentucky for everything they have done to help me advance over the last several years.”
During his two years with one of the most nationally recognized programs in the Wildcats, Kidd’s core responsibilities included assisting the coaching staff with video operations and day-to-day tasks, while also playing a role in John Calipari’s summer camps and clinics.
Prior to joining the Wildcats, Kidd served as a volunteer assistant coach at nearby Transylvania University from 2014-17, where he assisted with film editing and exchange, opponent scouts, preparing scouting reports, on-and-off campus recruiting visits and social media.
Kidd was also an assistant coach with the Lexington Ice, an AAU program, from March to July 2017.
Outside of basketball, Kidd was also active in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass since 2014.
A native of Livermore, Kentucky, Kidd is a two-time Kentucky alum earning his bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in business in 2017 before wrapping up his master’s degree in sport leadership in May 2019.
