The High School Coach's Role In College Recruiting

College recruiting is not supposed to be a one-person operation.

Parents have responsibilities. 

Players have responsibilities. AAU coaches, trainers, and other basketball contacts can help. 

But the high school coach occupies a position in the recruiting process that should never be underestimated.

A respected high school coach can provide something a highlight video cannot: credibility.

When a college coach calls asking about a player, the conversation should go deeper than points, rebounds, assists, and awards. 

College coaches want to know who they might be bringing into their program.

That is where the high school coach can become extremely valuable.

 

What Should A High School Coach Do?

The high school coach should be an advocate, evaluator, connector, and truth-teller.

That does not mean guaranteeing scholarships. 

It does not mean calling hundreds of colleges. 

And it certainly does not mean doing all the recruiting work for the player.

It means helping legitimate college prospects receive accurate information and opportunities to be evaluated.

A coach can provide:

• Honest player evaluations
• Academic information
• Updated game film
• College introductions
• Character recommendations
• Recruiting guidance
• Realistic level feedback

Those responsibilities can make a difference.

 

College Coaches Want More Than Film

Film gets attention, but conversations provide context.

A college coach may watch a prospect score 25 points and still have questions. 

Does the player practice hard? 

How does the player respond to coaching? 

Is the athlete dependable? 

What kind of teammate are they? 

How do they handle adversity?

The high school coach sees things recruiting videos rarely show.

That information carries weight when it comes from someone whose reputation is respected.

This is also why coaches have to be honest. 

Telling every player they are Division I talent helps nobody. Inflated evaluations eventually damage the coach's credibility with college programs.

Honest evaluation is advocacy.

Sometimes helping a player means telling them they should broaden their search.

 

Make Recruiting Easier For College Coaches

High school programs should have basic recruiting information organized and ready.

If you have college-level prospects, don't make coaches hunt for everything.

Have updated film available. 

Know graduation years, heights, positions, academic information, social-media contacts, and player contact information when appropriate.

When college coaches ask questions, respond.

Recruiting moves quickly. 

A missed phone call might not destroy an opportunity, but poor communication repeated over time certainly doesn't help.

 

The Player Still Has To Take Responsibility

Here is where families sometimes get confused.

The high school coach should help with recruiting.

The high school coach should not own the player's recruiting.

Players need to communicate with colleges, research programs, maintain their academics, develop their game, send film, attend appropriate events, ask questions, and follow up.

Sitting at home waiting for your high school coach to create your recruiting opportunities is a dangerous strategy.

Your coach can make an introduction.

You have to build the relationship.

Your coach can send film.

You have to perform on the film.

Your coach can recommend you.

You have to give that coach something worth recommending.

 

Mistakes That Hurt The Process

One of the biggest mistakes is waiting until senior year to become organized.

Another is assuming talent alone will generate recruiting attention.

Families can also make the mistake of blaming coaches for every recruiting disappointment. 

Sometimes the issue is exposure. 

Sometimes it's academics. 

Sometimes the player's projected college level has been misjudged.

And sometimes the player simply isn't doing enough.

Recruiting requires accountability from everyone involved.

 

Al Woods Perspective

I've been around basketball long enough to understand how valuable relationships are in recruiting.

A high school coach who has developed credibility with college coaches can be an enormous resource for a student-athlete. 

One phone call from someone a college coach trusts can encourage that coach to take another look.

But players cannot surrender responsibility for their future.

The strongest recruiting situations happen when the player, family, high school coach, and other trusted basketball people are communicating and working toward the same objective.

Nobody should be waiting around hoping someone else handles everything.

 

Conclusion

The high school coach can be one of the strongest allies a prospect has in college recruiting.

Provide film. 

Make introductions. 

Answer calls. 

Give honest evaluations. 

Share academic information. 

Recommend deserving players. 

Tell families the truth about recruiting levels.

Then teach players the most important recruiting lesson of all:

This is your future. 

Take responsibility for it.

A great high school coach doesn't recruit for the player.

A great high school coach helps prepare the player to recruit for themselves.

 

Author/Byline

By Al Woods | Woods Recruiting

Al Woods is a former high school, college, and professional basketball player and the founder of Woods Recruiting. 

Through independent scouting, player evaluations, grassroots basketball coverage, and recruiting education, Woods brings decades of basketball experience to the recruiting conversation. 

His work focuses on giving student-athletes, families, coaches, and the basketball community straightforward information about what recruiting really requires and why development, accountability, communication, and honest evaluation still matter.

What Makes A Great AAU Basketball Program?

AAU basketball has become one of the most influential parts of the basketball development and recruiting process, but not every program is created equal.

Some programs develop players, build relationships, teach the game and create meaningful opportunities. 

Others seem more interested in collecting tournament fees, filling rosters and moving from one weekend to the next.

Families need to understand the difference.

A great AAU basketball program should be about much more than uniforms, social media graphics, rankings and traveling to tournaments. The real value of a program is found in what happens with the players over time.

What Should Families Look For?

It starts with coaching.

Good AAU coaches should teach basketball, communicate expectations and understand player development. 

Winning matters, but development should never disappear because a coach is chasing another weekend trophy.

Strong programs usually demonstrate several qualities:

• Quality coaching staff
• Real player development
• Consistent family communication
• Appropriate competitive schedule
• Strong program organization
• Recruiting exposure opportunities
• Player accountability standards
• Positive basketball culture

Those things tell me much more about an AAU organization than the number of tournaments it wins.

Development Has To Matter

One question parents should ask is simple: Will my son or daughter become a better basketball player in this program?

AAU basketball should challenge players.

Young athletes need coaching, instruction, competition and accountability. 

They should learn how to play through adversity, accept coaching, understand roles and compete against talented players.

Simply playing 40 or 50 games does not automatically create development.

 

Exposure Cannot Be A Sales Pitch

Exposure is another area where families should be careful.

Programs should never make unrealistic recruiting promises. Nobody can guarantee scholarships.

Legitimate exposure comes from playing in appropriate events, developing recruitable talent, building relationships and helping college coaches obtain useful information about prospects.

The best programs understand that exposure without development has limited value.

Communication And Organization Matter

Parents should know schedules, expectations, costs and program responsibilities.

Constant confusion is a warning sign.

When an organization is poorly managed away from the basketball court, those problems eventually find their way onto the court.

Good programs respect families enough to communicate.

 

The Al Woods Perspective

I have watched grassroots basketball evolve for decades, and I believe families sometimes focus on the wrong things.

The biggest shoe-company circuit, most expensive uniform or flashiest social media account does not automatically mean better basketball.

Look deeper.

Who is coaching your child? 

What are they teaching? 

How do they communicate? 

Are players being held accountable? 

Are they developing? 

Does the organization actually care about the young people wearing its uniform?

Those questions matter.

 

Great Programs Build More Than Teams

A legitimate AAU basketball program develops players while creating an environment built around instruction, competition, accountability and opportunity.

Families should never be afraid to ask questions before investing their money and, more importantly, their child's time.

Great AAU programs don't just collect players for tournament weekends.

They build basketball players.

 

Author/Byline:
Al Woods | Woods Recruiting

Al Woods is a longtime basketball scout, evaluator and founder of Woods Recruiting. 

A former high school, college and professional basketball player, Woods brings decades of basketball experience to his coverage of high school prospects, grassroots and AAU basketball, recruiting, player development, coaches and influential figures throughout the game. 

Through Woods Recruiting, he provides independent scouting reports, recruiting insight and basketball commentary designed to inform players, families, coaches and the basketball community.

Imani Gordon Keeps Climbing And Women’s College Basketball Should Be Paying Attention

There are coaches who burst onto the basketball scene with enormous publicity, and there are coaches who quietly keep building, learning, producing and positioning themselves for bigger opportunities.

Imani Gordon belongs in that second group, and women’s college basketball should be paying attention.

Siena University recently named Imani Gordon an assistant women’s basketball coach, adding another Division I stop to a résumé that continues to become more impressive.

But reducing Imani Gordon’s story to another assistant coaching hire would miss the bigger picture.

This is about a coach who has experienced college basketball from almost every possible angle.

Imani Gordon has been a standout Division I player. 

She has been a graduate assistant. 

She has recruited players, developed athletes, handled scouting responsibilities, worked with defenses and helped build programs. 

Most importantly, Imani Gordon has already sat in the head coach’s chair.

That combination makes her journey worth watching.

 

Northeast Ohio Built The Foundation

Long before Imani Gordon became a college basketball coach, she was building her reputation in Akron.

Imani Gordon starred at Firestone High School, becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer while earning two City Series Player of the Year honors and All-State recognition. Firestone eventually retired her jersey.

That alone tells you something about the level of player she became.

From there, Imani Gordon took her game to Cleveland State, where she developed into one of the Vikings’ most productive players.

She finished her college career with 1,323 points and 753 rebounds and earned First Team All-Horizon League recognition during a junior season in which she averaged 16.6 points and 9.4 rebounds.

There was also that monster 27-point, 20-rebound performance against Oakland.

Imani Gordon understands high-level college basketball because she lived it.

That matters.

Players can usually recognize quickly whether a coach truly understands what they are experiencing. 

Imani Gordon knows the practices, pressure, expectations, victories, disappointments and sacrifices because she once wore the uniform herself.

 

Imani Gordon Made The Transition From Player To Coach

What I like about Imani Gordon’s journey is that there was no attempt to skip steps.

After her playing career ended, she remained at Cleveland State as a graduate assistant from 2015 through 2017.

That was where another education began.

Imani Gordon learned about practices, individual workouts, recruiting operations, prospect tracking, campus visits and the countless responsibilities happening behind the scenes of a Division I basketball program.

She then moved to Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, and that opportunity became a major proving ground.

During four seasons as an assistant, Imani Gordon helped contribute to a program that compiled a 78-32 record. 

Notre Dame College won a program-record 26 games during the 2019-20 season and earned its first NCAA Division II Tournament appearance.

Then came the opportunity every ambitious assistant eventually thinks about.

Imani Gordon became a head coach.

Notre Dame College promoted Imani Gordon in 2021, putting the entire program in her hands.

That experience cannot be duplicated by sitting beside a head coach.

When you become the head coach, everything changes. 

The victories belong to you. 

The losses belong to you. 

Recruiting, player development, culture, staff management, expectations and difficult decisions eventually arrive at your desk.

Imani Gordon has already experienced that responsibility.

 

National Recognition Followed

There is another part of Imani Gordon’s résumé that deserves attention.

She was named a WBCA Thirty Under 30 honoree three consecutive times, receiving the recognition in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Once might get your attention.

Three times starts telling you there is a pattern.

People outside her immediate basketball circle were noticing the work Imani Gordon was doing.

She was also selected as a coach for the 2023 NCAA College Basketball Academies, another opportunity demonstrating that her reputation was expanding beyond one institution.

 

The Climb Back Through Division I Basketball

Imani Gordon returned to Division I basketball when Northern Illinois hired her as an assistant in 2023.

Her responsibilities included recruiting, defense, scouting, academics, community engagement and player development.

Evansville became the next stop in 2025.

Now comes Siena University.

Siena announced in September 2026 that Imani Gordon was joining head coach Terry Primm’s staff as an assistant coach.

Look at the entire progression:

Cleveland State standout player. 

Cleveland State graduate assistant. 

Notre Dame College assistant coach. 

Notre Dame College head coach. 

Northern Illinois assistant. Evansville assistant. Siena assistant.

That is not bouncing around basketball. 

That is building a basketball résumé.

And there is a difference.

 

Why Imani Gordon Belongs Among The Movers & Shakers

The purpose of the Woods Recruiting Movers & Shakers series is not simply to profile the biggest names in basketball.

I want to identify people who are doing the work, influencing the game, building something and moving basketball forward.

Imani Gordon fits.

What stands out to me is the completeness of her basketball education.

Imani Gordon understands what it means to be recruited because she was recruited.

She understands Division I basketball because she played it.

She understands being an assistant because she has done it at multiple programs.

She understands building a program because she helped do it.

And Imani Gordon understands the pressure of being the person in charge because she has already been a college head coach.

That is a tremendous amount of experience for a coach who still has plenty of career ahead of her.

Siena University may be the newest chapter, but I doubt it will be the final chapter.

The basketball world sometimes becomes obsessed with identifying the next superstar player.

Maybe we should spend more time identifying the next generation of outstanding coaches, too.

Imani Gordon keeps climbing.

And I believe women’s college basketball should keep watching.

Al Woods Perspective

Imani Gordon represents exactly why I created the Movers & Shakers series.

Not everyone making an impact in basketball receives national headlines.

Some people simply continue working.

They learn. They improve. They accept challenges. They build relationships. They earn opportunities. 

And eventually, when you look at the entire résumé, you realize something significant has been developing right in front of you.

Imani Gordon is building that kind of résumé.

Her Northeast Ohio basketball roots make the story especially interesting to Woods Recruiting, but her journey has grown well beyond Ohio.

Siena University is getting a coach with playing experience, recruiting experience, Division I experience and something many assistant coaches cannot yet put on their résumé:

Imani Gordon already knows what it feels like to run her own college basketball program.

That experience could prove extremely valuable as the next chapters of her coaching career unfold.

About The Author — Al Woods

Al Woods is the founder of Woods Recruiting and a longtime basketball scout, evaluator and former player with experience at the high school, college and professional levels. 

Through Woods Recruiting, Al Woods covers high school and grassroots basketball, college recruiting, player development and the coaches, trainers, scouts and basketball leaders making an impact on the game. 

His Movers & Shakers series spotlights influential people and organizations whose work, leadership and commitment deserve greater recognition throughout the basketball community.

Pasha Bains Has Turned A Lifetime In Basketball Into A Powerful Player Development Legacy

Some basketball coaches teach the game. Some trainers develop players. Some entrepreneurs build programs.

Pasha Bains has managed to do all three.

What makes Pasha Bains such an interesting figure in basketball is that his influence today was built upon decades of actually living the journey young basketball players are attempting to navigate.

Pasha Bains was an elite high school basketball player. 

Pasha Bains competed at the NCAA Division I level. 

Pasha Bains became one of Canada's premier university players, represented his country internationally, studied coaching and human performance academically and eventually turned that knowledge into a basketball-development organization.

That combination makes Pasha Bains exactly the kind of individual who belongs in the Woods Recruiting Movers & Shakers series.

 

Pasha Bains Built His Foundation As A Player

Before Pasha Bains became known for developing basketball players, he was an outstanding player himself.

Growing up in Richmond, British Columbia, Pasha Bains developed into one of Canada's premier high school prospects while playing at Richmond High School.

Pasha Bains helped lead the Richmond Colts to an undefeated season and the 1998 British Columbia AAA Provincial Championship. 

His individual accomplishments included Provincial MVP recognition, Canadian High School Player of the Year honors and Sport BC High School Athlete of the Year.

Those accomplishments weren't the end of the journey. 

They opened the door to a much larger basketball world.

Pasha Bains eventually competed at Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference, experiencing NCAA Division I basketball at one of the highest levels of the college game.

During the 2000-01 season, Pasha Bains led Clemson in three-point percentage at 40.6 percent while making 12 starts.

That experience matters today.

When Pasha Bains talks to a young athlete about competition, expectations, preparation or adjusting to a higher level of basketball, he isn't talking about something he only studied.

Pasha Bains lived it.

 

Pasha Bains Became One Of Canada's Best

The basketball journey didn't stop with NCAA Division I basketball.

After Clemson, Pasha Bains returned to Canada and eventually became a dominant university player at Simon Fraser University.

Pasha Bains became a two-time Canadian scoring leader, averaging 22.9 points during the 2002-03 season and 25.3 points the following year.

In 2004, Pasha Bains reached another major milestone when he was named Canadian University Player of the Year.

Pasha Bains later played at the University of British Columbia, helping captain the Thunderbirds through a 20-0 regular season while leading Canada West in scoring.

There was international basketball as well.

Pasha Bains spent time in Canada's national-team system and represented Canada at the 2005 World University Games in Turkey.

This is where the Pasha Bains story becomes bigger than a collection of statistics.

Every level added another layer of basketball education.

 

Pasha Bains Studied Player Development

Many former players eventually become coaches and trainers.

Pasha Bains took another step.

Pasha Bains earned a master's degree in Human Kinetics from the University of British Columbia, studying areas that included coaching science, sports psychology and achievement-goal theory.

That part of his background deserves more attention.

Basketball training has become a massive industry. 

Social media is filled with drills, workouts and trainers promising development.

But development is not simply about teaching somebody how to dribble through cones.

Players have to learn how to compete, process information, respond to coaching, handle adversity, develop confidence and perform within team environments.

Pasha Bains appears to have approached those questions from both sides  as an accomplished player and as a student of coaching and human performance.

That is powerful.

 

Building DRIVE Basketball

In 2004, Pasha Bains and fellow former standout player Chad Clifford began what would become DRIVE Basketball.

What started as a player-development concept grew into a significant basketball organization in British Columbia's Lower Mainland.

DRIVE Basketball says more than 2,000 young players participate annually throughout its locations and programs.

But numbers alone shouldn't define what Pasha Bains has built.

The larger accomplishment is creating an environment where basketball becomes the vehicle for teaching confidence, discipline, competition and personal development.

Young players entering a gym may initially believe they're there to improve their jump shot.

The best coaches understand they're developing the person carrying that jump shot.

Pasha Bains appears to understand the difference.

 

Pasha Bains Remains Connected To The Game

Another impressive part of the Pasha Bains story is longevity.

Basketball hasn't simply been one chapter of his life.

Pasha Bains has remained involved in Canadian basketball through coaching, player development, evaluation and major basketball events.

His involvement has included coaching at the BioSteel All-Canadian event and serving on the 2026 All Canadian Basketball Games Boys Selection Committee.

In 2015, Pasha Bains was inducted into the Richmond Sports Wall of Fame.

The recognition brought his journey full circle.

The young player who once starred in Richmond eventually returned his knowledge to the basketball community that helped develop him.

 

Al Woods Perspective

What impresses me most about Pasha Bains isn't one championship, scoring average, award or degree.

It's the complete journey.

I have always believed the basketball community needs coaches who understand that player development goes far beyond drills.

Pasha Bains has experienced recruiting, NCAA Division I basketball, Canadian university basketball, international competition, academic study, coaching, entrepreneurship and decades of working with young athletes.

That's a serious basketball education.

Anyone can put "trainer" in a social-media bio.

Building credibility over decades is different.

Pasha Bains has done that through playing, learning, teaching and building.

 

A Powerful Mover & Shaker In Basketball

The basketball world often celebrates the people standing underneath the brightest lights.

But some of the game's greatest impact happens away from television cameras.

It happens inside gyms.

It happens during workouts.

It happens when an experienced coach gives a young player information that changes the direction of that athlete's journey.

Pasha Bains has spent years occupying that space.

From Richmond High School star to NCAA Division I player, Canadian University Player of the Year, national-team competitor, educated coaching specialist, entrepreneur and founder of DRIVE Basketball, Pasha Bains has built a basketball résumé with tremendous depth.

More importantly, Pasha Bains took everything basketball taught him and turned around to teach somebody else.

That is influence. That is impact. And that makes Pasha Bains a powerful Woods Recruiting Mover & Shaker.

 

Author/Byline:
Al Woods | Woods Recruiting

Al Woods is the founder of Woods Recruiting and a longtime independent basketball scout, evaluator and writer. 

A former high school, college and professional basketball player, Al Woods has spent decades studying talent, evaluating prospects and following the people who influence the game. 

Through the Woods Recruiting Movers & Shakers series, Al Woods highlights coaches, trainers, scouts, program builders and basketball leaders whose work is making a meaningful impact throughout the basketball community. 

Dinos Trigonis Didn't Just Scout Basketball He Helped Build Its Exposure Pipeline

Some people work in basketball.

Others build pieces of the basketball world that everyone else eventually works inside.

Dinos Trigonis belongs in that second category.

For more than three decades, Dinos Trigonis has operated across scouting, player evaluation, grassroots basketball, coaching, event creation, publishing and recruiting exposure. 

His résumé includes Fullcourt Press, the Pangos All-American Camp, Belmont Shore Basketball Club, Nothing But Net Magazine, the Tarkanian Classic and numerous other national events.

That list is impressive, but simply listing accomplishments misses the bigger story.

The significance of Dinos Trigonis is the infrastructure he has helped create.

Players need places to compete. 

College coaches need reliable opportunities to evaluate. 

Scouts need prospects to evaluate. Media members need stories and emerging talent to cover.

Dinos Trigonis has spent decades bringing those different pieces together.

 

Why Dinos Trigonis Matters

Long before social media turned virtually every basketball game into potential content, exposure had to be built differently.

Someone had to identify prospects.

Someone had to create events.

Someone had to develop relationships with coaches, scouts and basketball decision-makers.

Dinos Trigonis understood that world.

Dinos Trigonis established what became Fullcourt Press during the early 1990s, developing a scouting and recruiting operation that supplied information about high school and junior-college basketball prospects.

But Dinos Trigonis did not stop at evaluating players.

He created platforms where players could be evaluated.

That distinction is important.

 

From Law School To A Basketball Legacy

One of the most interesting parts of the Dinos Trigonis story is that basketball was hardly his only possible professional direction.

Dinos Trigonis graduated from Long Beach State in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in political science before earning his Juris Doctor from Temple Law School in 1992.

While attending Temple, Dinos Trigonis was a founder and co-editor-in-chief of the Temple Political & Civil Rights Law Review.

Those credentials could have taken Dinos Trigonis down an entirely different professional road.

Instead, basketball became the arena where Dinos Trigonis built his legacy.

His playing roots stretched back to Long Beach Wilson High School, but his long-term influence would ultimately come from identifying talent, coaching players and creating basketball opportunities.

 

Pangos Became A National Basketball Platform

The creation of the Pangos All-American Camp in 2003 may be the accomplishment most closely associated with Dinos Trigonis.

Over more than two decades, the invitation-only camp developed into an important national evaluation setting.

The alumni tell the story.

Pangos participants over the years have included James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, DeMar DeRozan, John Wall, Jrue Holiday, Trae Young and many other eventual professional players.

But Dinos Trigonis did something larger than build one successful camp.

Dinos Trigonis helped develop an entire network of events.

The Pangos ecosystem has included All-Frosh/Soph Camps, Premier 80 events, Terrific 24, Fantastic 40, the Junior All-American Camp, Best of SoCal events and the Tarkanian Classic.

The basketball calendar became part of the product.

 

Dinos Trigonis Understands Every Side Of Evaluation

What makes Dinos Trigonis particularly interesting is his perspective.

Dinos Trigonis has evaluated players as a scout.

Dinos Trigonis has covered players as a publisher.

Dinos Trigonis has coached players through the Belmont Shore Basketball Club.

And Dinos Trigonis has created events where other scouts and college coaches could conduct their own evaluations.

That is an unusually complete understanding of the grassroots basketball ecosystem.

Dinos Trigonis has seen basketball from the baseline, the bench, the evaluation table and the event organizer's office.

That experience matters.

 

Building Stages Before Social Media Made Everyone Visible

One historical example demonstrates the scale of what Dinos Trigonis was helping build.

An event Dinos Trigonis founded, originally known as the MLK Holiday Challenge and later associated with the Pangos Dream Classic, brought LeBron James and St. Vincent-St. Mary to UCLA's Pauley Pavilion in 2003 for a matchup against Mater Dei.

The game attracted a massive crowd and national television exposure.

Think about what that represents.

This was before Instagram.

Before X.

Before TikTok.

Before athletes could instantly distribute highlights to thousands of people from their phones.

Creating exposure required actual platforms.

Dinos Trigonis was helping create them!!!

 

The Al Woods Perspective

What stands out to me about Dinos Trigonis is longevity.

I have been around basketball long enough to understand how difficult staying relevant can be.

Players change.

Coaches change.

Recruiting changes.

Grassroots basketball changes.

Technology changes.

The way information reaches college coaches changes.

Yet Dinos Trigonis has continued operating within the basketball community for more than three decades.

You don't accomplish that by accident.

You accomplish it through relationships, credibility, adaptability and understanding where the game is going.

I also appreciate the independent scouting component of the Dinos Trigonis story because evaluating basketball talent requires more than watching highlights and repeating what everyone else says.

You have to develop your own eyes.

You have to trust your evaluation.

And you have to build relationships where people respect the information you provide.

 

What The Basketball Community Can Learn From Dinos Trigonis

There is an important lesson here for young scouts, coaches, trainers, event operators and basketball entrepreneurs.

Don't just think about getting into basketball.

Think about building something basketball needs.

Dinos Trigonis built scouting information.

Dinos Trigonis built events.

Dinos Trigonis coached.

Dinos Trigonis published basketball information.

Dinos Trigonis created opportunities for players to compete in front of people who could change their futures.

That is how influence becomes bigger than a job title.

Conclusion

The basketball community sometimes focuses so heavily on players and coaches that it overlooks the people who build the platforms surrounding them.

Dinos Trigonis is one of those people.

His career demonstrates what can happen when scouting, relationships, evaluation, coaching, publishing and event creation come together under one basketball vision.

The names of the prospects will continue changing.

The recruiting landscape will continue evolving.

The platforms will continue changing.

But after more than three decades, Dinos Trigonis has already left fingerprints across generations of grassroots basketball.

He didn't simply spend his career watching the basketball exposure pipeline develop.

Dinos Trigonis helped build it.

 

Author/Byline

Al Woods | Woods Recruiting

Al Woods is a former high school, college and professional basketball player and the founder of Woods Recruiting. 

He provides independent scouting reports, basketball recruiting education and editorial coverage of the coaches, scouts, trainers, influencers, organizations and decision-makers shaping grassroots and college basketball.

Joey Meyers Is Helping Build The Next Generation Of Girls Basketball Players

Basketball has never needed more people who understand that developing players is about far more than teaching a crossover, correcting a jump shot and running another workout.

There are plenty of people who can put players through drills.

There are far fewer who understand the entire journey.

Joey Meyers appears determined to become one of those people.

Joey Meyers brings together something girls basketball desperately needs: actual playing experience, coaching knowledge, physical training, sports nutrition and an understanding of the mental side of competition.

A former standout at Drew University, Joey Meyers has gone from successful high school player to accomplished college player and now to varsity girls basketball coach at Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child in Summit, New Jersey.

But simply calling Joey Meyers a basketball coach doesn't tell the whole story.

Joey Meyers is also a certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist with experience in athletic development. 

Her message on Instagram "I help players with their headspace and handles!" may explain her philosophy better than any collection of job titles.

Handles are important.

Headspace is important.

Strength matters. 

Nutrition matters. 

Confidence matters. 

Preparation matters.

And the further a player advances in basketball, the more all of it matters.

 

Why Joey Meyers Is Someone Basketball Families Should Know

Basketball has become crowded with trainers, evaluators, coaches, influencers and self-proclaimed development specialists.

Anybody can create a social media account.

Anybody can purchase some equipment.

Anybody can call themselves a basketball trainer.

That's exactly why background matters.

 

Joey Meyers Has Lived The Journey Young Basketball Players Are Attempting To Navigate.

Joey Meyers attended West Morris Mendham High School in New Jersey, where she developed into an accomplished basketball player. 

She reportedly finished her high school career with approximately 1,300 points while earning multiple First-Team All-NJAC Conference and First-Team All-Morris County honors.

Then came college basketball.

Joey Meyers continued her playing career at Drew University, where the 5-foot-10 guard became a four-year starter and developed into one of the program's most productive players.

As a freshman, Joey Meyers averaged 13.6 points per game and earned ECAC Rookie of the Year recognition. 

During the 2021-22 season, Joey Meyers averaged 16.0 points and 8.5 rebounds while earning First-Team All-Landmark Conference and D3hoops.com All-Region Second Team honors.

Joey Meyers eventually finished her Drew University career with more than 1,300 points and 600 rebounds.

Those statistics establish credibility.

But the real value may be everything Joey Meyers had to experience to produce them.

 

Joey Meyers Understands The Journey Because She Lived It

There is something powerful about being coached by someone who has recently traveled the road you're trying to reach.

Joey Meyers understands practices because she went through them.

Joey Meyers understands competing for playing time because she experienced it.

Joey Meyers understands expectations, preparation, academics, pressure, winning, losing, confidence and adversity because none of those things can be avoided during a serious basketball career.

That experience cannot be manufactured.

It cannot be learned from watching a few videos.

And it certainly cannot be replaced by having a large social media following.

Joey Meyers has been in the arena.

The mental side of that experience also deserves attention.

Joey Meyers previously participated in a Drew University Performance Psychology podcast discussion involving mindset, teamwork, resilience, self-discipline, self-talk, readiness and goal setting.

That's important because basketball development has spent far too many years concentrating on what players can do physically while sometimes ignoring what is happening mentally.

Everybody wants better handles.

Everybody wants a better jumper.

Everybody wants more athleticism.

But what happens after a player misses four shots?

What happens when she gets benched?

What happens when recruiting isn't going the way she expected?

What happens when confidence disappears?

Sometimes the biggest problem isn't the player's handles. It's her headspace.

 

Joey Meyers Is Developing More Than Basketball Skills

This is where the Joey Meyers story becomes more interesting.

Joey Meyers isn't bringing just one area of knowledge into player development.

Joey Meyers has playing experience.

Joey Meyers has coaching experience.

Joey Meyers is a certified personal trainer.

Joey Meyers has sports nutrition knowledge.

Joey Meyers has worked in athletic development.

And Joey Meyers now has responsibility for leading a varsity girls basketball program.

 

That's Player Development From Several Different Directions.

Too many young players have been convinced that development means finding a trainer, taking hundreds of shots, learning several impressive moves and posting workout clips on social media.

That's not complete development.

How strong are you?

How well conditioned are you?

What are you eating?

Are you recovering properly?

Can you communicate?

Can you handle criticism?

Will you accept coaching?

Can you remain confident after playing badly?

Can you respond when another player takes your minutes?

Can you perform when nobody is cheering?

Those things don't look nearly as exciting on Instagram.

But they help determine who survives when basketball becomes difficult.

 

Joey Meyers Shows Players Basketball Can Create A Bigger Future

There is another important message inside the Joey Meyers journey that young basketball players should pay attention to.

Your relationship with basketball does not have to end when your playing career ends.

Far too many athletes believe basketball has only one destination: playing.

That's simply not true.

Basketball can lead to coaching, scouting, training, sports performance, nutrition, athletic administration, media, player development and numerous other careers.

Joey Meyers has already demonstrated that progression.

Joey Meyers went from high school standout to college basketball player. 

From college basketball player, Joey Meyers moved into coaching, training and athlete development.

Now the players Joey Meyers coaches have someone standing in front of them who can speak from experience rather than theory.

That's valuable.

 

Basketball Players Must Stop Thinking Skills Are Everything

Here's where I believe basketball development sometimes gets completely backwards.

We have created a generation obsessed with moves.

Everybody wants the killer crossover.

Everybody wants unlimited shooting range.

Everybody wants the highlight.

But basketball exposes weaknesses eventually.

You can have an outstanding crossover and still sit on the bench.

You can shoot from 25 feet and still struggle defensively.

You can be incredibly athletic and still lack discipline.

You can dominate workouts and disappear when the game becomes uncomfortable.

Talent is only part of the equation.

Players need discipline, strength, confidence, communication, nutrition, resilience, accountability and mental toughness.

They have to learn how to fail without falling apart.

They have to learn how to be coached without becoming offended.

They have to learn that development isn't always fun, pretty or worthy of posting online.

That is why Joey Meyers' combination of basketball, training, nutrition and mindset experience deserves attention.

Complete players require complete development.

 

The Al Woods Perspective

I've watched basketball players develop for decades, and I continue to believe one thing strongly: talent alone has never been enough and never will be.

Eventually basketball demands more.

That's why I pay attention to people like Joey Meyers.

Joey Meyers didn't read about the basketball journey from the outside. 

Joey Meyers lived it.

Joey Meyers became an accomplished high school player. 

Joey Meyers went through recruiting. 

Joey Meyers played college basketball. 

Joey Meyers produced at a high level. 

Joey Meyers experienced the academic responsibilities that come with being a student-athlete.

Now Joey Meyers is taking those experiences and pouring them back into another generation of girls basketball players.

That's exactly what this game needs.

Girls basketball doesn't simply need more trainers running drills.

Girls basketball needs knowledgeable coaches, teachers, mentors and leaders who understand that they're developing the person attached to the basketball player.

There's a huge difference.

 

Joey Meyers Represents The Next Generation Of Women's Basketball Leadership

Girls and women's basketball is growing, and that growth is creating opportunities far beyond the players everyone sees on television.

The coaches matter.

The trainers matter.

The mentors matter.

The people developing players behind the scenes matter.

Joey Meyers represents an important part of that next generation.

Joey Meyers is young enough to remember what recruiting felt like, what college basketball demanded and what it was like trying to establish herself as a player.

At the same time, Joey Meyers has accumulated enough experience to begin teaching those lessons to the players coming behind her.

From West Morris Mendham to Drew University and now Oak Knoll, basketball has remained a major part of Joey Meyers' journey.

The responsibility has simply changed.

Before, Joey Meyers was developing herself.

Now Joey Meyers is helping develop others.

The handles certainly matter.

But Joey Meyers appears to understand something that every young basketball player eventually discovers:

When the competition becomes tougher, the pressure becomes greater and the stakes become higher, what's happening between your ears can become just as important as what's happening with the basketball in your hands.

That's real player development.

And that's why Joey Meyers is someone in girls basketball worth watching.

 

Author / Byline

Written by Al Woods

Al Woods | Woods Recruiting

Al Woods is a former high school, college and professional basketball player and the founder of Woods Recruiting. 

He is a longtime basketball scout, evaluator and writer covering high school basketball, grassroots and AAU basketball, college recruiting, player development, coaches, trainers and the influential people helping shape the game.