More Than a Coach — I Build Cultures That Help Athletes Win in Life

I’ve lived this game — as a hooper, a mentor, and a builder.

From the parks of New Jersey to college programs across the country… from late-night runs in Oakland to outdoor courts in San Ramon… from packed gyms in Tucson, Phoenix, and Denver to quiet moments fighting throat cancer and overcoming A-Fib — this game has always been part of me.

It gave me purpose. It gave me battles. And now, it gives me a platform.

For the last 13+ years, I’ve been pouring everything I’ve learned into the next generation — training student-athletes, building character, and preparing players for life beyond the game.

I Coach the Culture

From the Parks of New Jersey
to Basketball Gyms
Across the Country

My Basketball Life Was a Journey — Literally

The Game Gave Me Everything — Then Almost Took It

My journey started on the blacktops of New Jersey in the early '80s.

I was just a kid chasing older cousins from park to park — the designated point guard who wasn’t allowed to shoot unless it was a layup. If I wanted a spot, I had to grind for it. Side hoops. No excuses. Thousands of shots until they couldn’t ignore me.

At South Brunswick High, things started to click. I earned my name at camps and summer leagues — back when exposure wasn’t online, it was earned face-to-face. No highlight tapes. No internet. You had to show up and show out. Top 100 HS Players. ABCD Camp, Pocono Invitational Camp...I was making noise.

But college didn’t start smooth. After a tough first semester, I made my way back to Oakland — and that’s where the shift happened.

I leveled up.
I evolved into a power forward with point guard’s skills and became a problem in every gym I stepped in.

I played at every level: D1, D2, D3, and JUCO — from New Jersey to California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.

I didn’t play for clout. I played because I loved it… and yeah, sometimes for the paycheck. I was part of that generation that made the NCAA tighten transfer rules and prepared the stage for today’s NIL era.

I ran in pro-ams. Went semi-pro. Played overseas. Stayed in the game until I was 28.

No, I didn’t make the NBA — but if the G-League existed back then, I would’ve had a shot.

What I did collect? Wins. Wisdom. War stories.
And the kind of life lessons that built the coach I am today.

After basketball, I moved to Atlanta and started my next chapter — life, family, and a new career in IT.

I stepped away from the game almost completely. I didn’t coach. I barely played. Truth is, I avoided basketball because I couldn’t play it the way I used to. That hurt more than I let on.

Life was life-ing — and I was just trying to keep up.
Then in 2014, everything stopped.

I was diagnosed with throat cancer… and had to fight for my life. Surgery. Radiation. Chemotherapy. It was rough.

When I made it through, I promised myself:
If I got another shot, I’d give back to the game that gave me everything. That promise became TeachThemYoungER — a nonprofit built to help young athletes grow through sports, leadership, and real-life mentorship.

But the fight didn’t end there.

After relocating to San Antonio in 2025, I faced another health scare — this time with serious heart complications and A-Fib. It knocked me down again. But not out. Now that I’m back on my feet and fully recovered, I’m stepping forward with more purpose than ever.

Since that promise, I’ve:
✅ Trained and mentored hundreds of athletes
✅ Built programs that mix fun, accountability, and competitive fire
✅ Supported college recruiting through my work
✅ Developed and nurtured connections through my work with AAU National Basketball office and the tournaments we put on

And I’m just getting started.

I’m a builder — of players, programs, and people.
And for the past 13+ years, I’ve turned everything I’ve lived into something that gives back.

✅ I’ve led multi-team AAU programs — with squads competing in different cities at the same time.
✅ I’ve coached public, charter, and private schools — adjusting to every system, every athlete.
✅ I’ve run weekly group training through TeachThemYoungER — blending skill work with joy, confidence, and structure.
✅ I’ve developed college-level hoopers and real-life leaders.

I’m not just here to teach a crossover or yell from the sideline.
I build real programs. I build culture.

Culture that develops identity.
Culture that demands growth.
Culture that travels with you — long after the final buzzer.

This isn’t just training — it’s transformation.

Why I Coach Student-Athletes — Not Just Hoopers

I know what happens when talent goes uncoached — I lived it.

I was that kid. Gifted on the court but lost off it.
No structure. No guidance. Just raw ability and the streets as my classroom.

And I’ve seen too many players crash — not because they couldn’t hoop,
but because no one taught them how to be coachable, disciplined, or prepared for real life.

That’s why I don’t just train hoopers.
I coach student-athletes — because if the rest of your life is falling apart, the court won’t save you.

In my program, we put the student first and build the athlete with purpose.

My players learn how to:

✅ Stay coachable — even when it’s tough
✅ Handle pressure — without folding
✅ Move with discipline — on and off the court
✅ Lead their team — and lead themselves

That’s the real game. And that’s where the M.E.R.I.T.S. Standard comes in:

Mindset. Effort. Responsibility. Integrity. Together. Self.

These aren’t buzzwords — they’re the foundation.
It’s how we train. How we grow. How we win at life. Because when you build the person first, the player levels up automatically.