"High School" Mike Honoured With Dingos Life Membership

25-year Toronto Dingos clubman and veteran, Mike Karas, was awarded Life Membership at the 2025 Dingos award night held on Saturday, November 8th.

In 30 years of Dingos history there’s been more than 600 players who have pulled on the red and black, with just 20 awarded Life Memberships, with the following criteria needing to be met in order to be inducted:

​Meet ONEof the following:	​OR – Meet TWO of the following:	​OR – Meet THREE of the following:
150 games played 10 years Head Coach 10 years Captain 10 years Executive Member	100 games played 5 years Head Coach 5 years Captain 5 years Executive Member	50 games played 3 years Head Coach 3 years Captain 3 years Executive Member 10 years Paid Membership

Despite fulfilling multiple criteria across all three categories, Karas was ultimately inducted by meeting the 150-game criteria, playing 157 across his time with the club (fifth most in Dingos history).

Karas debuted in 2001 as a hard-at-it defender and after cementing his spot in the team became a pivotal player during the premiership three-peat years. And through the 25 years at the club he’s won a number of awards, coached, and been part of the executive team.

Reminiscing on how he found the Dingos, Karas recalled seeing an ad in the Wednesday Sun newspaper community listings.

"I used to play baseball in the summer and was looking for a sport, the list in the paper was in alphabetical order and the ad was almost word for word: "Australian rules football. No experience necessary. Call Chris or Jeff."

"It was Chris cunning and Jeff Popple (aka Poppy). Poppy called me back and gave me all the info. I went to my first training at Balfour and never looked back."

When Karas signed up he was just 17 years old and heading into his final year of high school, hence the nickname "High School" that has stuck with him through his 25 years at the club.

Looking back on this, Karas highlighted that it was the club and it's culture that got him hooked on Aussie Rules football.

"I guess one thing I want to emphasize is the great people at the club. I was 17 and totally awkward but they took me in anyways. The club still has great people today and through ups and downs the Dingos keep going and keep getting better on and off the field."

As we eluded to at the beginning of the article, Karas' Dingos career is one for the ages and his impact on the club since joining as an awkward teen can not be understated.

So with that being said, let’s look back at the Mike Karas files:

• Debuted for the Dingos in 2001

• Premiership player 2003, 2004, 2005

• Member of the Executive in 2015-17 as recruitment director

• Head Coach 2017, 2018

• Coaches Award 2005, 2008

• Steinberg Clubman Award 2016

• Best and Fairest 2008

Join us in congratulating Mike on being awarded Dingos Life Membership!