One of our functions here at NWPR is to review Coaches and Camps and to answer many question we get from our readers who ask where we recommend that they train. We just don’t throw names out because so many new faces are in the private coaching game. It is a business a lot of people have moved into and what we look for is production of good players who leave the camp in question and who are better off then when they arrived.
Local boy Lavelle Durant was born to coach and is doing work of finest quality for QB’s in the Seattle and North I-5 Corridor. Many of the names he has coached are household names and he has been the quiet leader behind them. You will find his footprints across the careers of guys like Max Browne (Skyline-QB now at USC), Isaac Dotson (Newport-QB now at WSU), Thomas Vincent (Kings HS-QB- UW), Billy Green (Kings HS- QB-BYU), Conner Richardson (Kennedy -QB – EWU), and a handful of others. See His Alumni Sheet here.
Those are some pretty heavy names and that comprises a large % of the top QB’s who came out sine Durant began coaching in the private arena. Lavelle has been energetic, instructional, upbeat, and sincere in his approach to working with kids. And behind the camera lens when no one knows we are filming we see it all. He has the skills and knowledge to Coach any Collegiate hopeful and we believe he is a man of character. That is also very important in our book. Lavelle advertises his rates right up front (something a lot of Coaches and camps do not) and is clear on his positions. Not one involved in the recruiting scene beyond direct input to his players Durant is what you want in a QB Coach; a focused and at times intense yet upbeat mentor.
Here is more on Lavelle Durant from his website Durant Training –
Lavelle Durant was born May 2, 1985 in Seattle WA. He was raised by his father Lorenzo Durant Jr. and mother Jeanne’ Durant. Lavelle is one of three children. He has an older brother Lorenzo Durant III and one sister Sharika Monroe. Lavelle also has an 8 year old son Malachi Durant.
Growing up in the inner city of Seattle Lavelle fell in love with Football at a very young age. Living with a die hard football fan such as his father and an older brother who owned the football fields, basketball courts and baseball diamonds, he felt obligated to fill the shoes of those surrounding him. Lavelle played 5 years of little league football “where he visited the championship in all” before he advanced to play high school ball at Franklin High School in Seattle WA.
From 1999-2003 Lavelle was in the starting lineup at Franklin High School not only as a quarterback but also as a tailback, a cornerback and any other available position they could use him for. This was all before realizing that “behind the center” was where Lavelle needed to be. Throwing for over 1000 yards and rushing for nearly 1000 yards his senior year Lavelle was named Kingco 1st team quarterback and was placed on the all district team.
After High school Lavelle attended a number of junior colleges (Butte C.C., Compton C.C., Shasta C.C.) before moving to Arizona to attend a prep school “Arizona Western” in Yuma AZ. While at Arizona Western Lavelle was then recruited to a school in Minot North Dakota (Minot State University) where he ended his college career after making the decision to move back home to become a full time father.
From 2008-2011 Lavelle was the Quarterback coach at Rainier Beach High School where they qualified to the state playoffs each year. During his off seasons he was the head quarterback coach for a football academy based out of Washington and Oregon. After becoming the head coach for the Football Academy Lavelle continued that until the winter of 2013 where he finally branched off and started his own training program Lavelle Durant Elite Training.
There is absolutely nothing Lavelle would rather do than help others strive to achieve their goals and grow not only as a athletes but as people.
This year Coach Durant is closely training 3 intriguing kids in King’s High School Koa Wilkins, Top West Coast 2016 QB Jacob Eason from Lake Stevens, and rising star Justus Rogers of Bellevue High School. More to follow on these three later this week!
If you are in the Seattle area looking to get your athlete of any ages trained at the QB spot and they have a WR or two to bring with them you should look up Lavelle Durant.
trainervelle@duranttraining.com
(206) 371-4968