Aaron J.

My first taste of coaching came during college, when I spent my summers working at local camps such as Garden City Basketball Camp, held at Newton North High School and directed by Newton North Head Coach Paul Connolly, Rising Star Basketball Camp held at Waltham High School and directed by Kevin O’Brien, and Boston College Basketball Camp, held on the BC Campus and directed by Al Skinner, the Head Coach for the Eagles at the time.

Boys Basketball Coach | 2005-11 | F.A. Day Middle School | Newton, MA
After spending several years in California following College, I returned to the Boston Area in 2005 and began working at F.A. Day Middle School, (one of Newton North’s two feeder middle-schools) as an Academic Support-Aide and Assistant Football & Boys Basketball Coach. After three years, I became the Head Coach of the Boys Basketball Team and over the next four years, we went 44-2 thanks in little part to the coaching as we were stacked with talented players such as Luke Westman (Colby College ‘16), Aaron Falzon (Northwestern University ‘19) and Tommy Mobley (Phillips Exeter Academy ‘16).

Assistant Boys Basketball Coach | 2007-10 | Newton North High School | Newton, MA
While the Coach at the Middle School, I was also an Assistant Coach down the street at Newton North; where I was responsible for the operation of the Youth Program and served as the Varsity Head Coach during Summer & Fall League Competition. Worked with players such as Greg Kelley (Yale University ‘15), Tevin Falzon (Sacred Heart University ‘14), and Luke Westman (Colby College ‘16) Of all the coaches whose lessons I have incorporated into my own basketball acumen in-whole, perhaps my biggest influence came from working with and learning from Head Coach Paul Connolly.

Program Director & Head Coach | 2010 | Boston Blue Chips | Greater Boston
Put together an AAU Program with a 7th Grade Team & 8th Grade Team; made up of players from the Boston Metrowest Area. We called ourselves the Blue Chips and during that spring and summer, both teams were among New England’s best; featuring players such as Aaron Falzon (Northwestern University ‘19), Bruce Brown (Vermont Academy, ‘16), Christian Wilkins (Clemson University Football ‘19), Tommy Mobley (Phillips Exeter Academy ‘16), Koby Antwi (West Point Military Prep Academy ‘16) and Geoffrey Gray (Emerson College ‘19).

Coach & Trainer | 2010-12 | Mass Rivals Basketball Club | Greater Boston
Coached and worked in a player-development capacity for the Adidas-Sponsored Mass Rivals Basketball Club, one of New England's premier grassroots basketball programs which in recent years has produced players such as Noah Vonleh (Portland Trail Blazers), Zach Auguste (Notre Dame University ‘16), Kaleb Joseph (Syracuse ‘18), Cedric Kuakumensah (Brown University ‘16), Jalen Adams (University of Connecticut ‘19), Mike Auger (University of Pennsylvania, ‘18), Goodluck Okonoboh (UNLV ‘18) and Josh Sharma (Stanford University ‘19). I did a lot of travelling;, including trips to New York City, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, and Las Vegas. Being on the road and working with highly-recruited players exposed me to college coaches and top-talent from all over the country.

Scout/Writer | 2011-Current | New England Recruiting Report
I work in several capacities for Adam Finkelstein, the Senior College Basketball Recruiting Analyst at ESPN and Cox Sports TV Personality, both as a Scout for Finkelstein’s highly successful NCAA Accredited National Recruiting Service, which has one of the highest subscriber-rates in the country among Division One & Two Coaches; and also as a Writer and Evaluator for the New England Recruiting Reporting.

Creator & Editor | 2011-Current | HoopRootz
Collaborated with Adam Finkelstein to create HoopRootz; a Youth Basketball Organization and Multi-Media-Outlet which sponsors an annual Circuit of Basketball Tournaments, Camps, and Showcases around New England and New York while providing News & Exposure for the Region’s Premier Junior Elite Basketball Players and Teams.

Zero Gravity Basketball | 2013-Current | Team Support | Beverly MA
I work to secure a high a level of team-talent at the Major Events on the Zero Gravity Basketball Tournament Circuit. Zero Gravity is a company which operates a tightly run web of youth basketball tournaments around the country. Since launching in 2011, Zero Gravity has grown astronomically and was recently featured in the Boston Globe Sports Section.

Cerebral point guard who was a three-year starter and two-time Bay State League 1st Team All-Star for Newton North High School from 1995-1997. I went on to play collegiately first at Hartwick College in New York and then at Framingham State College.

In addition to my scholastic career, I have played in driveways, gyms and on playgrounds from coast to coast.

100 Minute Workout

Fingertip Ball-Handling Series (15 Minutes)

Full-Court Sprint Layup Series (6 Minutes)

Half-Court Dribble-Drive Series (15 Minutes) (Hesitation, Stutter-Step, In-And-Out, Crossover, Spin Move, Behind-the-back)

Foul Line Extended Off-The-Catch Circle Series (15 Minutes)

Transition One on One - (12 Minutes)

Wing/Post 1 on 1 - (12 Minutes)

Shooting - (20 Minutes)

Full-Court 1 on 1 (5 Minutes)