Andre Spencer is a former NBA basketball player that
played for three teams: the Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors and
Sacramento Kings during his NBA career. He was a 6'6" forward and played
at Bakersfield Junior College, and Northern Arizona University. He also played
in France, Israel and Spain and retired in 2002.
I've known Sid Cooke for over 10 years. He has run the best
fundamentals, skills camps and clinics anywhere. The development of the
kids who have attended his training session have been tremendous. I've taken my
kids to Sid's training since they've been little. I now have a 6'4” daughter
who's currently attending UCR on a fully paid Scholarship for 5 years. And get
this she didn't even want to play basketball. This training has been the best
kept secret in Southern California. Parents if you truly want to invest in your
children's future this is it, time and money well spent. You'll see instant
results, from old school teaching and training.
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Anicet Lavodrama is a former Professional basketball player
in the ACB League (1986-1998, Spain). He is currently You First Sports
Expansion Director. You First Sports currently represents 40 NBA players that
include Serge Ibaka, Jamal Crawford, Carlos Delfino, Kyle Lowry and over 100
international players in Europe and South America. General Manager of
Fórum Valladolid team, Director of Development and International Relations of
FIBA (2000-05), International Scouting of Cleveland Cavaliers team (2005-07).
Graduate of Houston Baptist University (B.A. Finance and Management) in
Houston, Texas.
After spending some time in La Canada watching and enjoying
coach Sid Cooke’s work at his clinic and Hoop Academy, coaching young
basketball players aged from 10 years old all the way to 18 years old, the
intensity and precision of his instructions were what first stood out for me. I
had heard about his commitment with instilling a solid fundamentals base to the
young players, and his practices all focused on stressing that the player
acquires overall basketball fundamentals from shooting form in motion, hard and
fluid dribbling, the right defensive stance, and quick reading of tactical
situations to execute what was worked on during technical drills exercises.
Coach Sid was tough, demanding, at the same time it was obvious the young
players looked focused and in a zone going through each skills stations.
I firmly believe in a coach who pushes players to assume their responsibilities and never shy away from a decision, especially to be facing the basket and taking a shot when open and at the right time, crisp and precise passing and ball movement. He was simply burning with intensity and precision in each action he called out.
Coach Sid Cooke is definitely one of those coaches who are able to coach and especially to teach. From what I witnessed this past summer, his players were very technically sound and mentally mature. He was tough and caring. And he definitely enjoyed being on the basketball court!! I loved that.
I firmly believe in a coach who pushes players to assume their responsibilities and never shy away from a decision, especially to be facing the basket and taking a shot when open and at the right time, crisp and precise passing and ball movement. He was simply burning with intensity and precision in each action he called out.
Coach Sid Cooke is definitely one of those coaches who are able to coach and especially to teach. From what I witnessed this past summer, his players were very technically sound and mentally mature. He was tough and caring. And he definitely enjoyed being on the basketball court!! I loved that.
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Greg Newell played College Basketball at Pepperdine University from 1976-79, prior to that Greg was a standout in baseball and basketball at Bishop Montgomery a High school and LA Harbor Community College.
Greg Newell is the son of Hall of Fame basketball coach Pete Newell. Coach Pete Newell led University of California Berkley to the 1959 National Championship and a year later coached the US Olympic team to the Gold Medal in the 1960 Olympic Games. Coach Pete Newell was well known for his famous NBA Big Man Camp which he conducted for more than 25 years.
I had the distinct pleasure of being asked by Coach Sid Cooke, to participate, as a Coach/Instructor at his recent Hoop Academy BB Camp. What a fantastic experience I had the entire week. Sid approaches the Game the right way, in that TEACHES fundamental Basketball first and foremost!!! Sid's camps and clinics have the same elements as my dad's NBA big Man Camp, which also included footwork and moves for wing players.
I would highly recommend and encourage all players to participate in any of Coach Sid Cooke's BB Camps or Clinics.
I never had the training in ball handling, footwork and shooting techniques that coach Sid Cooke teaches in his clinics when I was growing up. I believe all young basketball athletes will greatly benefit from the proper training in all basketball areas they'll get by attending Sid's clinics.
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Greg Newell played College Basketball at Pepperdine University from 1976-79, prior to that Greg was a standout in baseball and basketball at Bishop Montgomery a High school and LA Harbor Community College.
Greg Newell is the son of Hall of Fame basketball coach Pete Newell. Coach Pete Newell led University of California Berkley to the 1959 National Championship and a year later coached the US Olympic team to the Gold Medal in the 1960 Olympic Games. Coach Pete Newell was well known for his famous NBA Big Man Camp which he conducted for more than 25 years.
I had the distinct pleasure of being asked by Coach Sid Cooke, to participate, as a Coach/Instructor at his recent Hoop Academy BB Camp. What a fantastic experience I had the entire week. Sid approaches the Game the right way, in that TEACHES fundamental Basketball first and foremost!!! Sid's camps and clinics have the same elements as my dad's NBA big Man Camp, which also included footwork and moves for wing players.
What excited me
the most was, watching the development of certain players, who struggled
mightily the first couple of days with their ball handling and footwork and by the
end of camp, they had improved so much it was alarming!!! Sid drills his
players in proper footwork as a priority and as a primary purpose.
Evidence of this fact, those campers who struggled early at Camp and
excelled by the end of Camp!!
I would highly recommend and encourage all players to participate in any of Coach Sid Cooke's BB Camps or Clinics.
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Coach Richard (Dick) Marquis (Founder and Former President
of the original NBA Summer Pro League, where he coached former NBA player such
as Henry Bibby, Bill Laimbeer, Swen Nader, Archie Clark, Cliff Anderson, David
Greenwood just to name a few, with the financial help of the NBA, he organized
the largest amateur basketball development program in the USA, founder of
Olympic Development Basketball which included many of the top high school and
colleges players across the country, Coached at International level in over 30
countries, including Russia, Spain, China and Brazil).
Coach Sid Cooke has the ability to break down strengths and
weakness through certain drills and techniques that speed up and benefit
player’s improvement, he teaches players what they need to know to become
better.
When we get a request to work with a talented athlete from another country I rely on Coach Sid to train and develop these players for college and professional basketball.
When we get a request to work with a talented athlete from another country I rely on Coach Sid to train and develop these players for college and professional basketball.
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Alfred Aboya is a professional basketball player who
played for Fort Wayne Mad Ants and Reno Bighorns in the NBA D-League, Olympique d'Antibes
Juan Les Pins Cote d'Azur Basket (FRA-ProB) in France, Final Spor Genclik in Turkey, and Shiga Lakestars in Japan. He played college basketball
for theUCLA Bruins advancing to three Final
Fours. He was a member of the winningest class in UCLA history with 123 wins.
He was a member of the Cameroon National Team - FIBA African
Championship in 2009-2011-2013. I never had the training in ball handling, footwork and shooting techniques that coach Sid Cooke teaches in his clinics when I was growing up. I believe all young basketball athletes will greatly benefit from the proper training in all basketball areas they'll get by attending Sid's clinics.
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Coach Keith Hollimon - Current Assistant Coach at MT. SAC
Jr. College (2013 Men's Community College Champions). He is a former
managing partner of Frontline Sports Management. In that capacity he
represented professional athletes who played domestically and
internationally. He has hosted international teams, provided oversight to
training and workout programs, and coached his athletes in the Summer
Professional Basketball League. Keith played his college basketball at Azusa
Pacific College (1988-1992).
Coach Sid Cooke attention to detail translates from high
school to college; it is rare to find anywhere. The details in dribbling,
shooting and angles in techniques will definitely help prepare players for the
next level.
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Raman Charles played basketball at Chaminade University of Hawaaii from 1994 to 1996 and at Quincy Jr College from 1992 to 1994.
Sid Cooke's clinics are the essence of fundamental basketball. These types of fundamental teaching is essential for player development as they progress to higher level. The drills and techniques at Hoop Academy are very unique and they are not found in many other places.
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James Wilson
SCAR, Inc.
The first time I saw Sid Cooke training a player, I knew I
had to incorporate his talents with the coaches I had working with my son
Jordan. Sid’s passion and enthusiasm along with his sharp eye for details will
help a player improve his individual game. As a D1 football player for a short
time before injury, I understood that working hard on my craft and conditioning
every day would make me a better player. Therefore, I encouraged Jordan to do the
same. Jordan’s dedication to the drills taught to him by Sid in shooting,
footwork, and attacking angles has helped him develop his total game. As a
result of hard work, Jordan has received a D1 basketball scholarship to the
University of Northern Colorado. Sid thanks for all your help!
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Wes Kumagai is a long time youth basketball coach who is
currently an assistant coach in a local high school boys basketball program.
In over 30 years of searching for basketball development
opportunities for my players (and my children), Sid Cooke is the best
basketball trainer I have found. The range of his instructional
capabilities is amazing. He is great with male and female, from 8 years
old to serious high school players and pros, on ball handling, footwork,
shooting and defense. Sid develops players’ mental approaches, both to
playing the game and to their own skill development. Sid’s programs put
finishing touches on my older child’s skills (helping him to 1st team
all-league status while playing on the winning-est La Canada High School team
in the school’s history), and from a very early stage developed my younger
one’s ball knowledge (that made her a varsity team captain by the beginning of
her sophomore year in La Canada High School).
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Troy Baugh spent this past season playing professionally in
Germany for TuS Brekerfeld - Oberliga leading his team to 21-1 record averaging
18 points and 6 assist per game. He played at Cypress Community college from
2008 to 2010 before moving on to play Division 2 at Notre dame college of Ohio
where he graduated and received his degree in psychology. Prior to that he
played at La Salle High School where he played 4 years on varsity where he
received various awards such as most improved, co MVP, MVP, all area, and all
CIF.
Coach Sid's willingness to teach the game created an
environment where the foundation of development could be established. In my
years working with Coach Sid and gaining knowledge about the game I have also
seen kids blossom into great talents that went on to play basketball at the
next level.
Coach Sid has incredible attention to detail as it relates to ball handling and footwork and to this day, if he sees Kyle in action will contact him to discuss improving his technique.
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Rudy Leufroy
When I first
took Kyle to Coach Sid's program, he was a relative unknown 7th grade
basketball player. After watching him work out for a few minutes, Sid said “when
he is a junior everyone will be asking where he came from ". In Kyle's
junior year he made both first team All CIF and first team All State.
Coach Sid has incredible attention to detail as it relates to ball handling and footwork and to this day, if he sees Kyle in action will contact him to discuss improving his technique.
Coach Sid has
definitely had a positive effect on Kyle's development as a basketball player.
Kyle Luefroy is
currently playing at Lehigh University a division 1 school in the Patriot
League.
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Ely Bryant
Our daughter Alisha received a scholarship to play
basketball at Pepperdine University where she graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts degree in 2009. Coach Sid helped Alisha to further develop her
rebounding, dribbling, passing and shooting skills. Coach Sid used excellent
training methods and had a great understanding of how to communicate them to
the players.
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Niko Fontanilla-Owner of The Performance Edge-Plyometric,
Strength and Conditioning training.
Niko currently trains college and high school athletes that
participate in Football, Baseball, Basketball, and Mixed Martial Arts. His
Clients include players from Oregon St. Northwestern, UCLA, Colorado,
Pepperdine and Harvard to name a few.
I have worked with many knowledgeable, renowned, coaches and trainers; Sid Cooke is on top of that list.
He consistently shows the ability to educate the basketball player on the finer points of the game.
I have worked with many knowledgeable, renowned, coaches and trainers; Sid Cooke is on top of that list.
He consistently shows the ability to educate the basketball player on the finer points of the game.
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Paris Escovedo played football and basketball at Boston College
and was an All CIF selection in both football and basketball at Bishop O'dowd High
School in Oakland CA.
I learned my work ethic early on. This is why I like Coach
Sid Cooke and his style of Coaching he focuses on continue work ethic. I think
"if you do not touch the ball every day and your goal is to play college
you are wasting your time!" That is true, I believe having been through
it! With that being said if you want your kids to have that extra step and
develop the right concepts to becoming a great player invest in Hoop Academy
with Coach Sid Cooke.
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Paul Lee
I
have a son in high school and a daughter in 8th grade. In all the years I have
watched basketball team training and practices, footwork has always been one of
most overlooked aspects of the game. It just never seemed to have enough
time in practice to fix it. Sid Cooke’s program includes many aspects of
the game but it starts at the core, footwork. His attention to details and
passion for teaching is great for kid that wants to play “next level”
basketball.
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Camilo Perez
General Manger
General Manger
ExacTax, Inc.
Camilo is originally from Colombia, South America where he
played basketball at high school level and received a scholarship to play
basketball at University Central in Bogota where he was studying Systems
Engineering before his family moved to the Unites States. He has been coaching
youth basketball for the past five years at different levels. Camilo has two
sons, one in high school (11th grade) and one in Middle School (8th grade) that
have been training with Coach Sid for the past five years.
Coach Sid has unbelievable basketball skills that he has
perfected through many years of hard work in the basketball court. Most coaches
in all sports spend most of their time just telling their players how to get
there, but Coach Sid is one of the few that can actually show them the way.
Sid’s skills allow him to show each player the proper fundamentals and
techniques to become better players. Coach Sid’s amazing understanding of the
game of basketball gives him the ability to teach his students how, when,
why and what skills to use during games making them better than the
competition. Sid’s attention to detail in footwork, ball handling, and proper
use of angles, shooting and defense will help any basketball player get to the
next level whether is at high school, college or professional level.
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