About
As your trainer, I make sure to closely listen to your goals and preferences. I tell you why we are doing a certain exercise or stretch. I explain to you in detail why each step I'm asking you to do is important. I want you to be knowledgeable about your body and your training. I don't think I know it all so with that being said, I want to hear from you as we train. Any questions you have in mind, any methods you have in mind... I am open to listening.
Personally, I have played at a high level of basketball for as long as I can remember. I have played in Nike Elite camps, played through varsity high school basketball, played in summer college basketall (until injury), and I have joined several clinics across the greater Los Angeles. Additionally, I have been training people of all ages (Youth-Senior) for the past year now seeing tremendous growth in technique, fundamentals, speed, vertical, and Basketball IQ.
As someone who's suffered from knee injuries, I make sure to strength train in the right places and to do low impact activities as much as I can, especially with my Youth students. I'm currently receiving my personal training certification and my BA in Psychology/English at California State University Long Beach. I plan to get my PhD in Health Psychology or Somatic Psychology as soon as I graduate.
The work I do makes a difference in people's lives. That's what I love most. I love seeing peope come to me asking me to help them achieve a goal they think is so far, and a few months later they achieve it. I love being able to watch each individual person's confidence increase as their physical abilities begin to increase as well. Watching the physiciality and mood improve, and observing how it all correlates is amazing to me. And I love being able to show that to everyone who works with me so they can carry it on in their futures.
Highlights
Reviews
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Madelyn P.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
My typical process starts off with me getting to know my student's abilities and personality. Every student is special and different to me. I ask about previous injuries and discomforts, and we go from there.
I teach my students through goal oriented work. Meaning, if my student doesn't have any goal in mind then we can't start training. Whether it's ankle stability, to increase speed, to increase vertical, or to increase shot percentage, it doesn't matter. I don't judge the caliber of the goal, but it's important to have a goal in mind. If not, then it'll feel like we're working hard for nothing.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Currently I'm recieving my personal training certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I'm in my last year at California State University Long Beach double majoring in Psychology and English. Next year, I'm planning on either entering my PhD program in either Somatic Psychology or Health Psychology.
I have been a basketball player since I was three years old. I made the varsity basketball team as a Freshman and played throughout high school. I played in Nike Elite camps and attended basketball/workout clinics in the greater Los Angeles. I got scouted from D1 universities, but was unable to officially attend as a result of severe injury.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Pricing depends on frequency of training and whether students want "anytime" training. Prices can be negotiated depending on fincancial abilites. My goal is to help under-represented athletes as well. Pricing is about $40-$70 per session. Please keep in mind, depending on whether the student has injuries or if a student wants to work for several hours, the price may change.
How did you get started teaching?
I got started teaching as I was playing basketball. As team captain, I always helped my teammates learn through film. But when my knees got injured and I couldn't play, that's when I started teaching people of all different levels. After graduating, I went back to my high school and began to learn as much as possible about coaching a full team. Then, I began helping players outside of practice, and I began to branch out to higher level players at the university level.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with children 10+, as well as highschoolers. Additionally, I have worked with D2 and D3 college athletes. Lastly, I have also worked with a few Seniors aged between 50-55.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Make sure your teacher is listening to you. Your coach/teacher should be able to coach you about every faucet of basketball and even different parts of life. If they don't ask about you, they are not the coach for you. They can't push you to your limits if they don't know what they are.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
It's important to think about what your strengths are and what your opportunities are. What do you want to accomplish by training? What improvements do you want to see? How often do you want to train?