Coaching Staff

South Sound Basketball Academy

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Coaching Staff

Director/Head Coach - Tom Kelley, Graduate Washington State University

This will be his 10th season at the helm of South Sound, a program Coach Kelley created as a response to the growing number of players leaving the south sound area to play in northern programs. In 2006-08, he spent time serving as a recruiting coach and assistant coach under the leadership of Coach Mosley at Tacoma Community College. In his time at TCC, coach Kelley credits Coach Howe and Coach Mosley for advancing his knowledge of the game on and off the court as well as opening many doors for him. Coach Kelley resigned in 2008 to pursue multiple Masters degrees in education, but hopes to return to the college ranks when he is called upon again. Prior to building South Sound, Coach Kelley served as part of the coaching staff for Bucky's Select where he was able to maintain a number of his player connections that helped pave the way for South Sound and many of those player/coach relationships still continue today. Coach Kelley has also spent several summers as a camp coach for local colleges as well as spending 2 summers as the assistant camp director for the Seattle Sonics/Storms Youth Camps. At the high school level coach Kelley spent 4 seasons as the head assistant coach at Lakes High School where as an assistant he was part of a program that captured a West Central District Title and its first state tournament berth in 22 years.

Assistant Head Coach - Anthony Judie,
This will be the 2nd season for coach Judie with the South Sound family. Prior to joining the staff of South Sound Coach Judie spent several years as an assistant coach for the boys program at Wilson High School in Tacoma. In his time at Wilson, coach Judie compiled a very impressive win/loss record with freshman and junior varsity programs. Coach Judie's son Deion is a former member of the South Sound program and is actively working out with the determination to play at the collegiate level this upcoming season. As a local member of the community and being a graduate from Stadium high School, Coach Judie continues to give back to his community and consistently offers guidance to student-athletes he encounters. We are excited to have coach Judie as a member of eh South Sound family and look forwardto what he can provide in leadership to our young men.

Associate Coach - Mike Kelley, Pacific Lutheran University

Mike Kelley has been apart of the South Sound family in some capacity since the team first originated in 2001. In that time his primary focus has been geared towards working with the post players and building on the skill sets of each player in hopes to get them mentally and physically prepared for the next level of competition. Having competed in the premier leagues and Las Vegas Big Time Invitational himself he has first hand knowledge of what the players themselves are going through.

Mike attended Pacific Lutheran University where he competed in both Basketball and Baseball. He enlisted in the United States Army while attending PLU and took the summer off from school to attend Basic Training and Military Police School. After training was over he returned to PLU where he resumed playing Basketball for two more seasons until suffering a career ending injury to his knee during the third season. Currently Mike resides in Puyallup with his Son Michael Jr. Ironically his son has followed in his father’s footsteps and tags along with Dad and Uncle Tom in hopes of learning more about this special game called Basketball.

Associate Head Coach - Jeff Medina

Assistant Coach Jeff Medina brings over twelve years of coaching experience to the South Sound select men’s basketball program. He has coached several successful boys AAU and select teams from the ages of 11 through high school. Several players in the local area have gone on to compete successfully at the high school varsity level. Besides coaching for the South Sound program, Coach Medina currently serves as a coach for Advantage SportsCo. He has served in this capacity for the past three years training youth in fundamental skill development, speed and agility training for basketball.

The Boeing Company has employed Coach Medina for the past 17 years, where he serves as a Sr. Engineering Technical Specialist. He has a bachelor’s degree in manufacturing & industrial automation. In 2007, he graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Master’s degree in Business Administration. As a result, he is a strong advocate of life long learning and individual achievement of goals. He desires to instill a sense of urgency and purpose in young men’s lives to pursue their dreams both on and off the court.

Associate Head Coach - Peter Esser, Graduate University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Coach Esser is a assistant basketball at Bonney Lake High School and continues his coaching duties there since 2006. He also spends summers as a camp director for local high school and youth basketball camps. Since 2008, Coach Esser has been an assistant offensive/defensive line coach and Director of Football Operations for the Bonney Lake High School football team. Spring time finds Coach Esser working with pole vaulters for the Bonney Lake track team. He serves as the scholarship coordinator at the high school, maintaining a website for students and parents to assist them in researching financial aid, scholarships and post secondary education opportunities. Please feel free to browse the site.
The website address is: http://mail.sumner.wednet.edu/~Peter_Esser/