James D.

Joey (CoachUp client)

Coach James is a phenomenal coach. Like to thank you for showing my son new workout drills to help him take his game to the next level

Lee (CoachUp client)

Thorough analysis of skills and targeted feedback resulting in immediate improvement.

Sarah Grace Myatt, Women’s Basketball Player @ UNC - Wilmington (Testimonial)

Sarah Grace Myatt Women’s Basketball Player @ UNC - Wilmington To whom it may concern, As a college athlete, I know how important it is to be the best. But I also know that behind every great athlete is a great coach. James Daye has not only been a great coach but also a great friend. James and I met at the YMCA where we both played basketball on a regular basis. In talking with him, he told me all about his basketball accomplishments as well as all the teams he has coached. He told me that he worked out with some of the boys there at the local YMCA and that I could join them if I wanted to. With that, nearly every morning at 9 A.M. sharp we had workouts. Knowing the financial situation of many of the families around our area, James graciously did workouts all summer for free. To me this shows true love of the game and a true passion to coach. He cared enough about us and our basketball careers to sacrifice his time, expecting nothing in return. James is loved by everyone at the YMCA and is known for his upbeat personality as well as his well-respected jump shot! Any athlete would be privileged to work out with James Daye; his strong love of the game is evident in every workout. Without a doubt I recommend James Daye for any training position. With his skill and patience you are sure to see an improvement in any athlete. Sincerely, Sarah Myatt

Wes Brewer, Men's Basketball Player at Elon University (Testimonial)

To whomever it may concern, I’m writing this letter on behalf of James Daye who trained me the summer and fall before my junior year. My name is Wes Brewer I am a freshman at Elon University playing basketball. Before working with James I was your typical white post player: slow and un-athletic with just a touch of an outside game. Well James was able to take this and transform me into a college level player. Our workouts were not only the hardest workouts I had ever done but were also the most comprehensive. We did a lot of work using ladders and sand pit starting out to zone in on my footwork. Just this improved my game tremendously because of the footwork it gave me inside to use on the moves I already knew. Then we would move to shooting drills. I was able to develop a consistent 15 foot jump shot which just brought my game to the next level. Majority of our workouts we would finish up with inside game. I developed a baby hook shot that before I never had and today is my now go to move inside. By working on inside and outside game it expanded my abilities to be a more versatile forward, which in today’s game if you’re 6’7” you have to be able to step outside and knock down a shot. Another reason my game took off from working with James is because I went in weighing right at or a little above 250. When I stopped working out with him to start my junior season I was weighing 220 and was in the best shape of my life. Now it’s not going to be easy but any high school student who has serious aspirations to play in college I would recommend James for them to work with because he will get you prepared and put you in a situation to excel and meet your goals. Thanks, Wes Brewer

Todd Bess, Former Player Under Coach Daye (Testimonial)

August 24, 2012 To whom it may concern, A turning point in my basketball career occurred when Coach Daye became the head basketball coach at Lexington Sr. High school in 1986. I spent endless hours playing basketball at the local YMCA, learning my jump-shot from watching ESPN / Raycom Sports college basketball games. Chris Mullen (St. Johns Univ), Mark Price (GA Tech), Chris Jackson (LSU) & Steve Alford (Indiana) became players that I gained insight into improving my game and jump-shot. At that time, there was no three point shot in high school basketball. However, in 1986, it was added. Coach Daye saw potential in my game, and gave me the opportunity to play on the varsity team. Long story short...Coach Daye led our team to the 2A NC State basketball regional finals in 1987, and the 2A NC State Basketball Championship title in 1988 (The first ever at Lexington). Without a doubt, we had talented players on our teams in each of those seasons, but our success would have been limited if Coach Daye was not the coach. Having played under the legendary coach, Dean Smith at UNC Chapel Hill, Coach Daye has the knowledge base to bring out the best in any player. The keys to success that Coach Daye instilled in me are to be the very best you can be in what you decide to do. That must include a determined focus on a goal, a dedication to the fundamentals required to reach a goal, to be in your best physical shape, and never, never, never cease to learn about yourself and the knowledge of the game. At each practice, Coach Daye gave us quotes of the day, and this one stuck with me: "If you're green, you're growing...if you're ripe, you're rotting." The lesson is to never be satisfied with current knowledge or skills (RIPE)...always be willing to learn and improve (GREEN)...then preparation will meet numerous opportunities resulting in success. Todd Bess