To be invited to Nike's The Opening meant being considered among the best prospects in the Nation for the kids who got that Golden Ticket. Same applies to the SPARQ National Championship and the Elite 11. Now there is no way these kids could just show up and have at it without coaches.
The Nike Football staff includes many of the best coaches in the country who practice in the private circuit and they spend most of their year touring the Nation. But even they can not cover an event the size of the ones that they just had. In cases like that they turn to a small group of top practitioners in the Pacific Northwest who come in and pick up the slack and we want to recognize these guys because they were amazing.
Nike just so happened to select a group of Coaches that we work with on a regular basis. We track the guys who are; #1 the most experienced and #2 who have a proven track record of being successful and affordable. We also look at Ethics and involvement with the less desirable side of High School Football and these Coaches are on the top of the list of Good People. If your looking for private work for your athlete in the off season look to these guys. There is no coincidence that we recommend them and Nike and others like FBU and NWEFC turn to them. These are the guys who you want to trust your athletes to.
Making Our All Nike Coaches List Are:
Lavelle Durant (left) and Damon Griffin (right)
These two men have been making waves the last few years but in many ways more quietly. This Summer however they had a chance to meet up and work together at the Elite 11 Quarterbacks challenge and The Opening. The result was pure magic.
Coach Durant had built a following in the Seattle-Tacoma Region training the top QB's in the Region the last few years. Guys like Max Browne (Skyline- USC), Isaac Dotson (Newport- WSU) and Billy Green (Kings-BYU) had Durant train them and impart his wisdom. He has built a reputation at the grass roots level and now his phones are ringing off the hook. That sort of success is no joke and parents in the Seattle – I 5 Corridor wanting to train with one of the very best in Region should call Lavelle at (206) 371-4968. He led the QB's on Team Apocalypse to the lead and a shot at the Title this past weekend which featured ELite 11 QB's Kyle Allen (Texas A&M Commit), Jacob Park (Georgia – Commit), and Brad Kaaya (Miami – Commit).
On to Griffin. "Mr Do It All" , Griff is a star. A small undersized skinny kid out of High School he went on to set records at Oregon as a Wide Receiver and moved on the the NFL for several season before beginning his Coaching career at Boise State. He is a consummate professional and is excellent at the WR position, the DB positions, and at training any athlete needing Speed, Agility, and Skill work. At The Opening he was with Durant on Team Apocalypse and worked closely with guys like Budda Baker (Bellevue HS- Uncommitted), Trevion Thompson (a projected Clemson commit), and Jeb Blazevich (a TE committed to Georgia) who was amazing. Griffin lives in Salem, Oregon and works throughout the NW and focuses along the I-5 Corridor. You can catch him at MyIntegritySports.com and make sure to get to his NorthwestStars Camp July 13th in Portland; a 1 day camp for skill development.
John Charles – Air One Football
John Charles is in our view the premier QB Coach in the Region. Like Durant he has coached up many of the great names who have moved on to College the past few years. John set records out of his California High School and went on to Foothills College in the Bay Area where he owned many records. He would finish his career at Portland State University under the much beloved Poke Allen who has since passed on. Charles led the Vikings 2 years in a row deep into a National Championship run and amassed thousands of yards being named a First Team All American. From this base and the many teachers he had along the way Charles has risen to the position of being a QB Coach people from around the West call for private and small group sessions. His Air One Football Academy is a terrific Camp and solid value and we appreciate how hard he has worked the last couple of seasons to improve kids and stay focused on their High School experience putting team first. At The Opening he was seen working closely 1-1 fine tuning guys like David Cornwell (Alabama- Commit), Stephen Collier (Ohio State – Commit), and David Blough (Purdue- Commit). The thing about Coach Charles is that he lived the life and did it all. His short stint with the Atlanta Falcons ended after a severely broken arm and while he never lived the NFL dream to the fullest he knows what it takes to win and to be great. Both of which qualify when your talking about him. Train with Coach Charles and his amazing staff at AirOneFootball by Clicking here.
Don Johnson (left) and Ndamukong Suh (Right)
Coach Don Johnson had a break through year at Milwaukie High School last season helping the Mustangs turn things around. This season he has moved on to the GSHL and taken over the Evergreen Plainsmen. He coached the Defensive Line at the Opening in an assisting role and did a nice job in that heat and dressed in all black. Johnson spent some real time fine tuning the Nation's best Defensive linemen at the Opening.
Suh is a household name. While many might say he is all about the endorsements or the money like any superstar NFL player we know otherwise. He is from Portland's Grant High School and we know for a fact he is here to be a part of the events to show people that Portland, Oregon produced him and that the NW is producing more and more guys at the far end of the talent spectrum. He is passionate, knowledgeable, and it was great to see him for his 3rd year in a row at The Opening. This is one intense kid but his maturity and presence around the kids was noteworthy. He gained big marks with us this year and we certainly hope he comes to coach linemen here in Portland in the coming years.
Nike Football Training Camp, Elite 11, The Opening- Staff
Watching people work once or twice you can gain impressions and you will form opinions. Seeing them do it over a decade or more your going to engrain those observations as part of the Reality of Life. Well for us Matt James (Hillsboro High School- PSU) is one such person and Matt is Mr. Football as far as we are concerned. He loves it and he cares about the kids. Many are the times Matt has called us to help him out at camps and clinics and visa-versa and not once was a dollar exchanged. He is one of the Nike Staff who has survived the test of time and worked with the best of the best. While Nike takes up 95% of is life you may be able to catch up to Matt and train with him at SAQ and positional work. If you get that chance take it. Your life will be better for it.
Thanks to Nike for the big Event. Is it over the top? In many ways it is. This is a lot of accolades and shoes and stuff to dump on the kids and we always worry about presence and ego and "keeping it real" as we say. Having said that 100% of the kids and parents view The Opening as life-changing and positive. If these kids do not make it on in the game of football they will in life. We hope they take away some good things from it and remember to be humble and greatful as they move ahead in life.
Great Job to all these NW Coaches and the kids who they helped this past week. Great job to all of you!
