Coach’s Corner: The Elite Hoops Origin Series

PART 1: WHERE IT ALL STARTED

I grew up in a basketball family. My earliest memories involve a ball in my hands and a hoop nearby—whether it was the driveway, the backyard, or a dusty corner of a gym somewhere. I was small, but I was mighty. Competitive to the core. I didn’t back down from bigger, stronger players because I believed in my skill, my heart, and my will to win.

That mindset carried me through youth leagues, travel ball, and into high school, where I was a starting point guard and played three years of varsity basketball. I took pride in being a floor general—leading, communicating, setting up my teammates, and controlling the pace of the game. That was my role, and I embraced it fully.

When college came around, I knew I wasn’t going to be recruited. I didn’t have the size or the physical profile coaches were looking for, but I still believed in my game. So I went for it—I tried to walk on at a Division III college. I gave it my best shot.

I found out quickly that belief and skill only go so far when you’re in a world of grown men playing a physical brand of basketball. It wasn’t a lack of talent—it was reality. I didn’t have the strength or presence to make an impact at that level. So I made the tough decision to walk away from that dream.

But the fire never died.

I kept playing in college club leagues, local gyms, and eventually adult leagues. I wasn’t ready to let it go, even if the spotlight was gone. Then, life happened. Work, family, responsibilities—it all pushed basketball to the background. I still loved the game, but I wasn’t around it much anymore.

That all changed when my oldest daughter was old enough to play.

She joined our local town league, and they needed volunteer coaches. I signed up, not really knowing what I was walking into. I’d coached summer rec teams in high school, but this felt different. This was my kid. And more than that, it was a chance to step back into something I loved—but in a new way.

I didn’t know it then, but that was the beginning of something much bigger than one season of rec ball. That first year coaching her in 4th grade reignited my passion—not just for playing the game, but for teaching it. The joy of seeing a young player grasp a new skill, the energy of being part of a team again, the challenge of trying to shape not just better players, but better people—it all hit me at once.

Coaching gave me a new purpose. It let me take everything I had learned as a player and give it back in a way that mattered.

That’s when the wheels started turning. I started wondering: What if I could do this full time? What if I could build something for players like my daughter—something consistent, competitive, and focused on growth?

That question would eventually lead me to start Elite Hoops Basketball Academy. But before that happened, I had to re-learn the game—this time from the sidelines.

Let’s keep building.