In the summer of 2007, an unknown, unranked player named John Wall drove 18 hours from his home in Raleigh, NC to a Try Out Camp in Chicago. John had no reputation to speak of, no scholarship offers, no invitations to exclusive camps…All he had was a chip on his shoulder, something to prove, and an unwavering swagger. John Wall took control of his destiny, earned his spot to an elite Reebok event. From there, he became the BREAK OUT player of the summer, rising to the number one ranked player in his class.

Read More >>

In my four years of high school athletics I think I probably rolled, twisted, and sprained my ankles at least a dozen times on each leg. I actually got to the point where I would roll my ankle and it wouldn’t even phase me because I’d done it so many times.

Fast forward a few years and I’m doing my internship with the football team at the university I attended helping them with their summer strength and conditioning. Despite the fact that we weren’t doing much agility work several of the players would wear their ankle braces or high top shoes while lifting and running. These players had previously injured their ankles but that had been close to a year ago. While they thought they were protecting themselves they were actually hindering their performance!

Ankle 101

Most people would tell you that there are only 2-3 joints in the foot or that the ankle is really only for hinging to absorb and redirect force while walking, running, etc. This could not be further from the truth. In one foot/ankle alone there are 26 bones, 33 joints, and 100 muscles whose job is not only to allow you to walk and run but to give feedback to the rest of your body about the position of the foot/ankle in space, the terrain on which you are moving, and proper firing patterns of the rest of the muscles in the body to maintain movement and prevent injury. Think of your feet like and oddly developed pair of hands at the end of your legs. When reviewed anatomically they are both incredibly similar.

Dumb Feet and Poor Performance

How can a persons feet be dumb you ask? Your feet become “dumb” when they stop talking to the rest of the body. Because of the shoes we wear (thick soled, stiff) and because of injuries such as sprains and strains, the muscles in our feet and ankles slowly shut down and aren’t as active in the communication with the rest of the body and don’t fire properly to stabilize the foot. Arch supports, insoles, high tops, ankle braces, and prophylactic ankle taping (taping healthy ankles for as a fashion statement [extremely common in football players] or to prevent injury) are all very poor ideas because the “use it or lose it” principle is ALWAYS in play when dealing with the human body. When you constantly do the body’s job for it, in this case the stabilization of the ankle, you slowly lose the ability of that joint to do it on its own. To prevent this there are some incredibly simple steps to follow to get the ankles back functioning properly either after you have been injured or to even prevent injury.

Foam Marching-

If you are post injury you can start this as soon as you can walk without pain in the ankle. If you aren’t injured throw these in when you have time. You can use an old couch cushion or sometimes you can buy blocks of foam fairly cheap as well. Once you have your foam the next step is to kick off the shoes, step onto the foam and start marching in place! The real benefit of this exercise is that it not only wakes up the muscles of your feet and calves, it’s also great for your knees and hips as well! When you step down into the expanded foam and it collapses under your foot, your foot has to monitor the surface it’s on as well as keep the ankle stabilized when it does reach the ground because the compressed foam creates an unstable surface. Start with a couple rounds of 1 minute of marching and work up to 5-10 minutes of continuous marching.

Foam Rolling-

For this you’ll need a foam roller, monster stick, and/or rolling pin. What you are going to do here is work over all sides of your calves and the bottoms of your feet to break up soft tissue adhesions that are limiting strength and mobility as well as loosed up the joints of the feet. If you ever hit a spot what really hurts when you go over it, suck it up and really work on that spot. The pain means there is a severely restricted spot.

Barefoot Training-

If you have a pair of Nike Free’s or Vibram 5 Fingers then stick with those for your training. If not then check and see it your coaches or the facility you train at will allow you to lift barefoot. Training in the Free’s, Vibrams, or barefoot trains the stabilizers to support not just your own bodyweight but also to support the joint while producing maximal force. Running and jumping produce several times the athletes bodyweight in force so it’s important that the stabilizing muscles can handle it.

If you can’t lift barefoot then get out to a local park where you can jog and walk barefoot. 20-30 minutes of simply being out moving while barefoot will go a long ways to developing rock solid ankle strength.

*Disclaimer: Always be aware of the conditions of the surface you’re training on if you are barefoot or in your socks. The floors may be slick which increases your chance of injury.

Sled Dragging-

This is one of my favorites as far as ankle rehab and strength building goes. Keep the weights light and go for longer durations. Be sure to switch back and forth between forwards and backwards dragging to build strength in multiple directions. Aside from being a great exercise for the ankles, sled dragging builds strength throughout the entire posterior chain which is crucial for developing and explosive athlete.

If you are dragging in regular shoes you will still get the benefits of building your posterior chain, but it won’t do much if anything at all for your ankles an feet.

Alphabet Drawing-

This can be done at night while watching TV or any other spare time the athlete has. All they have to do is simply draw each letter of the alphabet with their toes on both feet. This will help improve range of motion as well as retrain the muscles of the lower leg to fire properly.

No matter what course of rehab or prehab you choose, you should always work to improve the bodies overall function, not do it’s job for it. Drop the protective equipment after you can walk pain free and get those joints and muscles rebuilt as soon as possible.

Trey Potter is a graduate from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelors in Health Promotion and Wellness. He is currently studying to take the CSCS exam and can be reached at driventraining@yahoo.com

By Nick Kosmider June 7, 2010 at 5:32 pm

The ASU men’s basketball team added two more players to its 2010-11 recruiting class over the weekend, putting the total of new faces coming into coach Herb Sendek’s program next season at seven.

Kyle Cain, a 6-foot-7 forward from New Hampton (N.H.) Prep, and Carrick Felix, a 6-foot-6 junior college transfer from Idaho, have committed to the Sun Devils.

The additions are key for Sendek, who had four players transfer — Demetrius Walker, Brandon Thompson, Taylor Rhode and Victor Rudd — following ASU’s 22-win season that ended in a disappointing loss to Jacksonville at the buzzer in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

Read More…

Day 1: On Friday, members of the two USA teams in the adidas Nations field arrived at the Palms Resort just off of the Las Vegas Strip to begin a weekend of training.  The first day consisted of the standard pleasantries, which included players meeting and greeting, assigning uniforms and taking part in both video and photo shoots.

Read more…

The Boogie will benefit the Self’s four-year old foundation which awards ten community grants and eight four-year college scholarships on an annual basis and additionally supports various youth initiatives in our community.

Basketball Boogie Spot from Kansas Jayhawks on Vimeo.

Also check out Coach Self at this weekend’s New England Coaches Clinic, only a couple of days to register.

By Brett Martel, AP Sports Writer NEW ORLEANS — Former NBA head coach Lawrence Frank and Portland assistant Monty Williams met on Tuesday with the New Orleans Hornets about the club’s vacant head coaching position as the list of candidates interviewed for the job grew to seven. The interviews came amid a backdrop of questions over whether Hornets founder George Shinn and Louisiana businessman Gary Chouest were getting bogged down in the details of their agreement to transfer ownership of the team to Chouest. Ready the full story…

Highlighted by National Sophomore of the Year DaJuan Coleman of Jamesville-DeWitt (DeWitt, N.Y.) , MaxPreps.com presents the 2009-10 Boys Basketball Sophomore All-American Team.

Coleman helped the Red Rams compile a 25-1 record and capture New York’s Class A title. The buzz grew in the state’s Federation tournament semifinals against Bedford Academy when he piled up 23 points and 31 rebounds in a 67-54 win. Jamesville-DeWitt was taken down in the finals by University of Virginia-bound senior Will Regan and the Nichols School of Buffalo, 65-43.

Selections are based on statistics, team success and local, regional and state honors from the recently-completed season. Potential at the college or professional level is not a consideration.

DaJuan Coleman

First Team

NATIONAL SOPHOMORE OF THE YEAR
DaJuan Coleman , Jamesville-DeWitt (DeWitt, N.Y.)
6-9 / 270 / Forward
Led Jamesville-DeWitt to 25-1 record and Class A state title by posting 24.1 points and 15.4 rebounds per game.

Perry Ellis , Heights (Wichita, Kan.)
6-7 / 210 / Forward
Sunflower State phenom made Falcons first back-to-back Kansas state champs at 6A level in 16 years with averages of 22.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.

Ricardo Gathers , Riverside (Reserve, La.)
6-6 / 235 / Forward
After the doors closed at Reserve Christian, Gathers transferred to Riverside Academy and promptly earned Class 2A Player of the Year honors after posting 19.9 points per game and leading the Rebels to a state title.

Shabazz Muhammad , Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)
6-5 / 195 / Guard
Emerged as a star on a team loaded with at least five other future Division I players (not to mention a couple of Division I football players), tacking up 19.5 points and 10 rebounds per game en route to first team All-State honors.

J-Mychal Reese , Bryan (Bryan, Texas)
6-1 / 170 / Guard
One of two sophomores to earn Class 5A All-State (top 20 players in classification) honors in Texas, Reese tallied 18.0 points, 5.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game for 25-8 Vikings.

Second Team

Brandon Ashley , Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland, Calif.)
6-8 / 210 / Forward
Possibly California’s most promising prospect regardless of class, Ashley led Bishop O’Dowd to a 30-4 record and the Division III state title game by averaging 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Dorial Green , Hillcrest (Springfield, Mo.)
6-5 / 200 / Forward
Also one of the nation’s top sophomore wide receiver prospects, Green led Hillcrest to first state title since 1984 with averages of 18.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.

Tyler Lewis , Forsyth Country Day (Lewisville, N.C.)
5-11 / 160 / Guard
NCISAA and Associated Press All-State pick, Lewis put up 20 points, 8.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.

Marcus Smart , Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas)
6-3 / 190 / Guard
Joined Reese on All-State team after racking up 16.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists while leading Marcus to 37-3 record and 5A semifinals.

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera , North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)
6-4 / 215 / Guard
Second team All-State selection joined Purdue-bound senior teammate Terone Johnson in leading North Central to Class 4A title, averaging 19.5 points point game.

Third Team

Kevin Ferrell , Park Tudor (Indianapolis, Ind.)
5-11 / 160 / Guard
Associated Press third team All-State selection led Park Tudor to Class 2A title game with averages of 23.7 points and 4.6 assists per game.

Michael Frazier , Plant (Tampa, Fla.)
6-3 / 175 / Wing
Burst on the scene with four games of 39 points or more and some flashy season averages – 26.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

Savon Goodman , Academy of the New Church (Bryn Athyn, Pa.)
6-5 / 205 / Forward
Shined the brightest on a team that also features top 2011 prospect Rakeem Christmas, posting 16.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest.

Xavier Johnson , Chaparral (Temecula, Calif.)
6-6 / 190 / Wing
Inside-outside player with legitimate guard skills scored 18.1 points per game while recording 17 double-doubles – including four games with 15 rebounds or more.

Jordan Price , McCallie (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
6-5 / 205 / Wing
Tennessee’s Division II-AA Mr. Basketball award winner, Price tallied 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game.

Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically)

Kyle Anderson , Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.J.)
6-7 / 180 / Guard
Outstanding in supporting role for 28-1 and nationally-ranked Cougars, contributing 10.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

Ryan Arcidiacono , Neshaminy (Langhorne, Pa.)
6-3 / 180 / Guard
Led Neshaminy in scoring (17.0 points per game), rebounding (5.4), assists (4.9) and steals (2.3) en route to All-Southeastern Pennsylvania honors.

Willie Clayton , Thomasville (Thomasville, Ga.)
6-7 / 210 / Forward
First team Class AA All-State pick led Thomasville to title game with team-leading 17.4 points per game.

A.J. Hammons , Carmel (Carmel, Ind.)
6-10 / 250 / Forward
Averaged less than 10 points per game – despite shooting 69.4 percent from the field – but grabbed 7.9 rebounds and blocked 5.2 shots per game en route to All-State honorable mention.

Twymond Howard , Pearl (Pearl, Miss.)
6-6 / 195 / Forward
Also a standout on the football field, Howard’s basketball talents appear to be taking over after posting 18.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game during Jackson Clarion-Ledger All-Metro season.

Larry Lewis , Arcadia (Phoenix, Ariz.)
6-2 / 175 / Guard
Already committed to Southern California, Lewis earned Arizona Republic first team All-State 4A honors after posting 22.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

DeJuan Marrero , Bowman Academy (Gary, Ind.)
6-5 / 200 / Forward
Provided 15.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game for Indiana’s Class 2A state champions.

Evan Nolte , Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.)
6-7 / 195 / Forward
One of four Milton non-seniors to earn Class AAAAA All-State honors and big reason why the Eagles could contend for the 2010-11 preseason No. 1 national ranking.

Marcus Paige , Linn-Mar (Marion, Iowa)
6-0 / 155 / Guard
Will help fill the Harrison Barnes void in Iowa next year after putting up 13.9 points per game for 22-1 Linn-Mar and earning first team Class 4A All-State honors.

Tony Parker , Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.)
6-9 / 260 / Forward
Numbers (10.8 points, 9.3 rebounds per game) don’t tell the whole story as Parker combined with 6-9 senior Donte Williams and 6-8 junior Henry Brooks to help Miller Grove land Georgia’s AAAA state title.

Zach Peters , Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
6-9 / 235 / Forward
Part of a promising cast at Prestonwood Christian, Peters nearly averaged a double-double with 15.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per outing.

Victor Robbins , Carson (Carson, Calif.)
6-5 / 185 / Guard
One of the Los Angeles area’s top sophomores this winter, Robbins knocked down 23.5 points per game and grabbed 7.9 rebounds.

L.J. Rose , Second Baptist (Houston, Texas)
6-3 / 175 / Guard
One of Texas’ top private school performers, Rose scored 15.9 points per game while handing out 6.6 assists.

Josh Scott , Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Colo.)
6-8 / 200 / Forward
Class 4A second team All-State selection pumped in 23.7 points and over 10 rebounds per game in leading Lewis-Palmer to 21-6 record.

Aaron Simpson , North Chicago (North Chicago, Ill.)
6-0 / 175 / Guard
Led North Chicago in scoring (23.0 points per game) and rebounding (7.0 per game) while also distributing 3.3 assists per game.

Jarnell Stokes , Memphis Central (Memphis, Tenn.)
6-8 / 240 / Forward
Bruising big man earned Class AAA All-State honors after averaging over 14 points and 12 rebounds per game for a Warrior team that handed nationally-ranked Melrose a loss in January.

Rasheed Sulaimon , Strake Jesuit (Houston, Texas)
6-2 / 170 / Guard
Began sophomore season with a 38-point outburst against Cypress Springs and had a season-high 45 against Alief Hastings en route to averaging 21.5 points per game.

Jordan Tebbutt , Horizon Christian (Tualatin, Ore.)
6-6 / 200 / Wing
A special talent slightly tucked away at a small school outside of Portland, Tebutt earned Class 3A Player of the Year honors after averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds per game while leading Horizon Christian to a state title.

Jean-Pierre Tokoto , Menomonee Falls (Menomonee Falls, Wis.)
6-6 / 190 / Wing
Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Division 1 first team All-State selection averaged 18.6 points per game while leading Indians to a 21-4 record.

Adolphus Washington , Taft (Cincinnati, Ohio)
6-6 / 240 / Forward
Also a standout on the gridiron, Washington earned Division III first team All-State selection after posting 16.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.

First Team

Brian Bridgewater, Episcopal (Baton Rouge, La.)

6-4 / 210 / Forward

Averaged 22.1 points and 11.2 rebounds per game en route to District 7-2A MVP and second team All-State honors.

NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Aquille Carr, Patterson (Baltimore, Md.)

5-6 / 150 / Guard

It’s not a misprint – the best freshman in the country this season was just 5-foot-6. The Baltimore Sun called Carr’s campaign “one of (the) finest freshman seasons ever in area” after he put up 25.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.3 steals per game.

D.J. Fenner, Seattle Prep (Seattle, Wash.)

6-5 / 195 / Wing

Originally slated to attend Gonzaga of Washington, D.C., Fenner took Seattle’s Metro League by storm, putting up 18.4 points per game.

Kasey Hill, Mount Dora Bible (Mount Dora, Fla.)

6-0 / 160 / Guard

Already a national name headed into his freshman year, Hill didn’t disappoint in averaging 20.4 points, 6.8 assists, 4.8 steals and 4.3 rebounds per game en route to Orlando Sentinel third team All-Central Florida honors.

Julius Randle, Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)

6-8 / 220 / Forward

Randle teamed with Sophomore All-American Zach Peters to help Prestonwood Christian land private school state title in Texas, averaging 15.0 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

Second Team

Stephen Clark, Douglass (Oklahoma City, Okla.)

5-9 / 160 / Guard

Clark led a 30-0 4A state championship team at Douglass – arguably Oklahoma’s best regardless of class – in scoring at 17.5 points per game along with 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 steals.

Dre’kalo Clayton, Evans (Orlando, Fla.)

6-6 / 230 / Forward

Bullish rookie led Evans in scoring (18.0 points per game) and rebounding (9.5) while joining Hill as All-Central Florida honoree.

Torren JonesKeith Frazier, Irving (Irving, Texas)

6-4 / 180 / Guard

Despite playing in one of Texas’ most competitive 5A districts, Frazier was a top scorer in the Dallas area top at 17.5 points per game.

Torren Jones, Basha (Chandler, Ariz.)

6-8 / 195 / Forward

Helped Basha go 24-7 with averages of 14.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.

Jabari Parker, Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)

6-6 / 200 / Wing

Parker was the second-leading scorer (9.3 points per game) for Illinois’ defensive-minded Class 4A champions.

Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically)

Akoy Agau, Omaha Central (Omaha, Neb.)

6-7 / 190 / Forward

Played supporting role for most of the year, but put on a show in Nebraska’s Class A state championship game with 18 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocks in a Central win.

Justin Dotson, Daniel (Central, S.C.)

6-3 / 175 / Guard

Key component of Daniel’s Class AAA state championship team, posting 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Kahlil Dukes, Capital Prep (Hartford, Conn.)

5-10 / 165 / Guard

Led the state of Connecticut and all freshmen nationally in scoring at 29.1 points per game along with 3.3 assists, 2.7 steals and 2.6 rebounds.

DeMonte Flannigan, Villa Angela-St. Joseph (Cleveland, Ohio)

6-7 / 225 / Forward

Earned first team Division III All-State honors after recording 13.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.

Aaron Gordon, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)

6-6 / 175 / Forward

Already regarded as one of San Jose’s best, Gordon contributed 11.8 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game.

Thomas Hamilton, Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.)

6-10 / 250 / Forward

Eased into a talented Dolphin rotation and carved out 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.

Darryl Hicks Jr., Shelby County (Shelbyville, Ky.)

6-3 / 175 / Guard

Helped Rockets reach Kentucky’s single-class “Sweet 16″ by averaging 13.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Kuran Iverson, Northwest Catholic (West Hartford, Conn.)

6-8 / 190 / Forward

Second team Class L All-State selection after putting up of 13 points and eight rebounds per game.

Peter Jok, Roosevelt (Des Moines, Iowa)

6-5 / 175 / Guard

Missed some time with injuries and came off the bench for most of the season, but showed glimpses of his great potential in posting 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Cheikh Ndiaye, Army-Navy (Carlsbad, Calif.)

7-0 / 210 / Forward

The Senegal native has intriguing size and a developing game that helped account for 10.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.8 blocks per game.

Semi Ojeleye, Ottawa (Ottawa, Kan.)

6-5 / 190 / Wing

Ojeleye led Ottawa to a 23-4 record and Class 4A championship game with team-high averages of 14.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Juwan Parker, Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.)

6-4 / 185 / Wing

Coached by University of Tulsa legend Shea Seals, Parker chipped in 9.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for Oklahoma’s 5A state champions.

Roschon Prince, Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.)

6-6 / 195 / Forward

Emerged as major contributor for Poly team packed with college prospects, tallying 9.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per outing.

Tyrell and Tyree RobinsonTyree Robinson, Lincoln (San Diego, Calif.)

6-4 / 190 / Guard

Along with brother and fellow All-American, Tyrell, could be in line for a special high school career after contributing 9.7 points, 4.1 and 2.9 assists for California’s 29-2 Division II state champions.

Tyrell Robinson, Lincoln (San Diego, Calif.)

6-3 / 200 / Wing

Jason Bryant might be the luckiest coach in America with three more years of Tyree and Tyrell, who added 6.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game for Hornets.

Jahmel Taylor, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)

6-1 / 160 / Guard

Helped Notre Dame win twice as many games in 2009-10 than in 2008-09, averaging 16.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game.

Charles Tucker Jr., Eastern (Lansing, Mich.)

5-11 / 165 / Guard

Solid in support of star junior LaDontae Henton at Eastern, Tucker scored 10.6 points and handed out 6.8 assist per game.

Jonathan Williams, Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.)

6-9 / 200 / Forward

Williams was a consistent double-double performer as a freshman and considered the top 2013 prospect in Memphis – a city with a scorching-hot high school basketball scene.

Shooting Touch, Inc. Celebrates Sabbatical Program Launch

at Reebok International Headquarters

BOSTON – The non-profit Shooting Touch, Inc. will celebrate its newly established, first-of-its-kind, ‘Sabbatical Program’ that will grant select graduating college seniors the rare opportunity to experience a 10-month international, independent work program outside of the United States. The program’s mission to use the sport of basketball to give back to the global community, influence positive social change and convey life saving skills to 3rd world communities. The first recipient of this grant is Tome Barros, a BC High and Hampton University Graduate, Dorchester, Massachusetts native and Cape Verdean immigrant.

WHO: Jay Troiano (Head Coach for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors), Kenny Atkinson (Assistant Coach of the NBA’s New York Knicks), Mark Recchi (Boston Bruins), Pete Philo(International Scout for the Minnesota Timberwolves) Coach Bob Hurley (2010 Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee and National Championship High School Coach), Fran Fraschilla (ESPN Commentator) and Lenny Clarke(Actor, Boston Comedian).

WHERE: Reebok Headquarters 1895 J.W. Foster Boulevard, Canton, MA 02021

6:30 pm                                    Silent Auction Cocktails & Dinner

8:00pm                                       Silent Auction Tables Close

Guests Proceed to the Basketball Court

8:15pm                         Presentation

                                         MC, ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla

9:00pm                         Live Auction Begins

                                          Daniel J. Flynn, Auctioneer

                                          Lenny Clarke, MC

WHAT: Shooting Touch, Inc. is a basketball non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization based in Boston, MA founded in 2007 by Justin Kittredge, a basketball footwear executive. The organization is based on the premise that basketball’s positive influence on the lives of children can make the world a better place. Shooting Touch, Inc. has three goals: to help EDUCATE young people about life skills including setting and achieving goals; to MENTOR all players and give support whenever needed; and to COACH the fundamentals of basketball to improve individual confidence both on and off the court. 

The Board of Directors for Shooting Touch Inc.’s Sabbatical Program include:

• Kenny Atkinson            Assistant Coach for the NBA’s NY Knicks
• Dee Brown                   Former NBA Star
• Wayne Embry              NBA Hall of Fame Inductee & Former General Manager of the Cleveland

                                                    Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors

• Danilo Galinari              NBA star for the NBA’s NY Knicks
• Coach Bob Hurley        National Championship Coach for the St. Anthony Friars & a 2010 NBA

                                                    Hall of Fame Inductee

• Bobby Hurley, Jr.         Former Duke University and NBA Star
• Pete Philo                      Director of International Scouting /Player Personnel for the Minnesota Timberwolves
• Jason Terry                  NBA star of the Dallas Mavericks
• Jay Triano                   Head Coach for the Toronto Raptors

With the awarded $25,000 stipend from Shooting Touch, Inc. funding his journey, Tome will be working in Brazil, Senegal, Cape Verde and South Africa through his newly created entity B.O.U.N.C.E, Basketball Outreach Unifying Neighborhoods & Communities Everywhere. With Tome leading the B.O.U.N.C.E team, people will learn important life lessons on and off the court. Along with teaching fundamentals of basketball, B.O.U.N.C.E is prepared to educate on AIDS/HIV, healthy eating and exercise. B.O.U.N.C.E has devised a plan to use the sport of basketball as a platform to influence positive social change and improving the awareness and importance of physical activity to underprivileged communities.

Springfield, MA April 12, 2010 – Adidas Basketball is proud to announce the formation of the first ever Adidas New England Basketball Coaches Clinic, coming to the birthplace of basketball, Springfield, Massachusetts, on May 22, 2010 at Central High School.  The clinic will feature some of the best coaches in the game today including, Former New Jersey Nets Head Coach, Lawrence Frank, Kansas University Coach Bill Self, Indiana University Head Coach Tom Crean, Boston College Head Coach Steve Donahue, UMass Head Coach Derek Kellogg, Former Boston Celtics Head Coach John Carroll and Wagner College Head Coach Danny Hurley.

The clinic will be held on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at Central High School in Springfield, Ma.  It will be the only chance to see such a variety of top coaches in the game today in the New England area, amongst these coaches are some of the top in every level of the game from the high school to college and to the professional ranks, Adidas has brought the best and brightest in the game back home to where the game first started, Springfield, Ma.

The clinic will be $125 per coach, along with the teaching of these top coaches, each coach will receive a T shirt from Adidas as well as a Coaches Packet and a lunch.  For each additional coach in a program the cost will be $100 dollars.

To learn more here.