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Thurl B., Highland, UT Basketball Coach

Thurl B.

Basketball

SILVER

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Former NBA player with 30 years of coaching and basketball training experience - youth, collegiate and pro level players View all coaching experience

This coach is unavailable to take clients at this time.

Training Locations
Training Locations
  1. Karl Malone Training Center, 525 East 200 South, Lehi, UT

Coach is willing to travel up to 50 miles

  • North Carolina State University--Raleigh (NC)

  • 30 years

  • Qualified Private Coach
    Passed Coach Course

  • Adults, Kids, Teenagers

  • Center, Forward, Guard

  • Post Moves, Rebounding, Shooting, Ball Handling, Passing, Defense, Footwork, Moving Without the Ball, Reading the Floor, Agility, Attacking the Rim, Pick and Roll

Credentials

  • North Carolina State University--Raleigh (NC)

  • 30 years

  • Qualified Private Coach
    Passed Coach Course

Services

  • Adults, Kids, Teenagers

  • Center, Forward, Guard

  • Post Moves, Rebounding, Shooting, Ball Handling, Passing, Defense, Footwork, Moving Without the Ball, Reading the Floor, Agility, Attacking the Rim, Pick and Roll

More About Coach Thurl

- 30 years of coaching and basketball training experience - youth, collegiate and pro level players
- Ran Big T Bailey's Basketball Camp in Slat Lake City for 18 years for boys and girls 3rd - 12th grade
- Coached Utah XFactor AAU Club 2011-2013
- Also, I specialize in post work

McDonalds High School All American, 1983 NCAA Champion (N.C. State University), NBA All Rookie Team, 12 Year NBA playing experience (Utah Jazz & Minnesota Timberwolves), Italian League All Star Game MVP 1999

Talk session (goal setting) - 5 Minutes
Warmup drills and stretch - 5 minutes
Position specific and game specific Basketball drills - 50 minutes
* shooting, ballhandling, dribbling, defense, free throws

Action Photos

Client Reviews

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Coach Thurl was everything we hoped for and more. He is an incredible coach and obviously very dedicated. He formed an instant connection with my son, and was able to get quick results.

Thurl is the real deal. Super personal, great feedback, gave homework and provided inspiration to keep getting better.

Coach Thrul is a grate coach. During my first session he was able to identify some of my bad habits. He also provided the solution for these. After a few sessions my skills have improved a lot. His knowledge of the game the best. The sessions are design to push me to the next level. Come ready to work hard, and feel the pain.

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Coach Thurl & his son were great with my boys.
They are excited to learn more next time.

Great coach

Coach Thurl was amazing. He quickly saw where Improvement was needed and explained the techniques to use to improve. My son left the session feeling energized and confident with his ability meet his own goals. We cannot wait for another session, coach Thurl's teachings are liquid gold.

Coach Bailey was awesome!

Thurl is an excellent coach. He helped me correct my shot to the point that I was consistent making long midrange shots back to back around the arc. I’ve played basketball all my life so correcting my shot wasn’t an easy task, really grateful for his impact! Also just a great mentor and encourager.

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Coach Thurl was able to quickly examine my son’s shot very early in the session and help him make adjustments. After the first session, my son wouldn’t stop asking when he could have a second one.

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Coach Bailey is not just an Amazing Basketball Coach, but an Incredible Youth Mentor. Coach Bailey truly is interested in our Young People and how each Youth develops even outside of basketball. Coach Bailey customized a training specific for my son. One day, Coach Bailey somehow knew that my son needed some “inspiring” words, and it was absolutely what my son needed. And me too.

No other Coach comes even close to Coach Bailey. All day, any day … Coach Bailey is our #1 choice.

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We went specifically for shooting adjustments. Within that initial hour, my son saw tremendous accuracy and improved rhythm. Coach Thurl understands the game and is great with kids!

Great coach! My son is learning new skills and he loves it.

Coach Thurl was amazing! Great coaching techniques and an awesome guy! Looking forward to many more sessions.

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Coach Thurl is awesome! Not only did my sons learn some new techniques, he spoke to them about what it takes to be successful. We live out of state but come to Utah often and will definitely be seeing him when we can!

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My son has been three times and i can already see how much he has improved. Thurl is very complimentary and good for his self confidence. Great coach!

Thurl is hands down the most awesome human being I’ve ever met in my entire life. He’s so genuine and brings the best energy to the training and creates an environment that was pure magic for my daughter. She was hanging on every word he said, he made her laugh, made her focus, made her try new things and push herself. She walks out of training with so much confidence her feet barely touch the ground. She holds her head a little higher because she’s actually proud of herself and believes in herself. And Thurl makes her feel like he believes in her. He’s very simple, direct and a matter of fact with them so they don’t get lost and can stay focused. And he truly is their number one fan when they accomplish a goal they’ve been working on. We saw immediate progress, growth and change in her while working with him that we haven’t gotten in several different camps and leagues we’ve put her in. It was absolutely incredible to see how well he can connect with them and really help them unleash the baller inside! We were blown away in watching how quickly he was able to get them to pick up new skill and technique that we’d been working on for months and couldn’t get the results he did. Her game has improved substantially while working with him and we will continue to because I have never been able to get the results we are getting by working with him. Her father and I are beyond amazed by how she is changing mentally, emotionally and physically in life and her game because of Thurl. Thank you so much. And if you’re considering it, quit wasting time and money like we have for years! This is the key your player needs if you’re looking to find them someone and something that can help bring them to their potential. Couldn’t be happier with this experience she’s receiving!

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Love how Thurl talks also about the psychology of the game and how to prepare for success.

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Coach Thurl and Coach Bryan are amazing coaches and trainers and I would recommend them to everyone. They are very vested in their players and it shows in their sessions.

Great with my son!!

Thurl was great with our son! He was clear and upbeat and made our son feel comfortable. He gave him some great tips to apply to his shot and our son commented that night that Thurl “would be fun to hang out with.” We have 2 more sessions and are excited! I highly recommend Thurl :-)

Thurl was great to work with. My son learned a lot in his first session that he will be able to continue to work on at home between sessions. I would highly recommend Coach Bailey. We will definitely sign up for more sessions.

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Coach Thurl is the best coach for kids. He cares and knows what he’s talking about. Wonderful example to the youth.

Thurl is the kindest, most patient guy i have ever met. He had lots of compliments about our 14 year old son and knew exactly what he needed to improve on. Our son improved tremendously in just one session. We look forward to many more sessions with Thurl. He's the best. I only wish we could have had him in our lives years ago.
Thanks for everything Thurl.
The Andersen's

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Thurl is incredible. Patient, kind and incredibly knowledgeable. We look forward to every session.

Coach Thurl is great! He clearly has a great knowledge and love of the game and that translates into his coaching. From the very fist session my son learned things that have really helped his game. He also made him feel very comfortable like he had known him for years. Thurl notices small details that have made big improvements from shooting, to ball handling, to overall confidence. He makes it fun, but pushes you to work hard and go beyond what you thought you could do. I would highly recommend coach Thurl to anyone!

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Coach Thurl has really been helping from the first day I started working out with him. He’ll pick up little details about your game that you didn’t know needed fixing, and these little changes takes your game to another level. The amount of passion and respect he has for the game is second to none. He is determined in improving his players, to the point where if needed, he’ll jump in the workout and do it with you. The most important thing for me is the fact that coach played at the highest level of basketball and working with such a person, opened my eyes to how I need to think, live, and play in order to reach my dreams of going to the NBA.

Thank you for everything you taught to the little one... see you soon

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Great trainer

Thurl is a great coach and he’s helped me come a long way from where I was and recognize where I’m at now.

My boys had an awesome time working with Thurl!

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Coach Thurl is the real deal. My favorite thing about him, is, he doesn't over complicate the game. He focuses on what I need to improve for my position, and, he truly knows the mental game as a player and a coach.

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My boys (11 and 14) just had our first session with Coach Thurl. My boys immediately learned 2-3 things they needed to fix that helped their game. Thurl is not only a great coach that can instruct on basketball, but I could also tell that he was keenly interested in developing my boys as good human beings. Thurl is a coach and a mentor who cares. A good man!

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We have had a wonderful, positive experience with Coach Thurl! His genuine interest in our son is evident. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Thurl is awesome! I have been super impressed as he works with my son. He doesn't just run him through random drills for a hour. He truly evaluates his needs and works to improve them, breaking down different parts of single move or skill and picking it apart and then putting it back together in a way my son can understand and use. My sons shooting has improved 100% in a few sessions. However the biggest thing I see after working out with Thurl is that my son has a "confidence" that is new. Thurl builds him up and makes him believe he can do it.

Coach Thurl works so well with my boys, teaching them how to be the best player on the court and the best person they can be in life.

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Thurl is excellent with my daughter. He is very patient and encouraging. The drills he teaches are great for his students to be able to do at home. We are seeing improvement already in a short amount of time. A very good investment!!

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Coach Thurl was awesome. I didn't know what to expect with a basketball coach but it was really useful and he was really patient with me. He gave me tips that I could use immediately after just one lesson. As an older student I'm just learning for the fun of the game and I look forward to regular lessons with him. I would highly recommend him to anyone.

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Anyone would recognize Thurl Bailey's skills on the court. But to us, he's much much more than a gifted ball player.

The moment my son walked on the court, all of Thurl's attention shifted to him. By the end of the hour, Thurl's perceptiveness had developed a keen sense of not just my son's skill level, but his confidence level. And from that session forward, Thurl has fine-tuned his instruction to address the holes in my son's skills and, more importantly, the holes in his confidence.

That matters. You see, my son has come up through a high school coach who tries to motivate through shame and pressure. So you can imagine how moving it is to discover the opposite in Thurl Bailey.

Thurl engages the student, motivating them through a better vision of themselves. That vision gets confirmed the instant the student feels their new skills beginning to take hold, creating a transformative experience.

In other words, Thurl Bailey isn't just a great ball player, he isn't just a trainer, and he isn't just a coach, he's a mentor ... the mentor you want for your child.

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Really enjoy having my son learn valuable skills from Coach Thurl and Coach Ware. True professionals that are great at passing on their knowledge of the game.

Great first session with Thurl. Great motivator. Glad we picked him.

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Awesome session, my daughter already showing major improvements, thanks coach

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Such a stand up guy! My daughter has had 2 sessions so far and she has improved a ton. She is shooting better and her ball handling is getting better. It's amazing what clear direction will do to improve skills! This is exactly what my daughter needed! Coach Ware is amazing at ball handling and he has taught my daughter so much. I'm thankful for these guys and I highly recommend Coach Thurl! With their instruction, my daughter may make the varsity team this year!

Thurl is a great coach and a great person. I am not sure who had more fun, my son who had the lesson or me.

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Coach Thurl is incredible! He's extremely personable and takes his time with my son. He is patient, but pushes my son to work harder. He changed my son's shot in one session. My son had three sessions with Thurl, and now he's a completely different athlete. Thurl's training & techniques are superb, and they really work! I cannot say enough positive things about Thurl. He's definitely worth every penny and every minute. I HIGHLY recommend Coach Thurl to any and everyone.

Thurl has been Great!! He is helping build my son's confidence and character. He understands my sons needs as a player and working with him to set and achieve his goals. Thanks Thurl.

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Coach Thurl is amazing! My daughter had learned so much from him and has more confidence. She has learned new techniques and is doing wonderful. He is a great guy to work with

Coach Thurl is fantastic! Not only does Coach Thurl have a superior knowledge of the game and demonstrate and coach great fundamentals, he has a passion for teaching and helping people learn that is evident every time my son is with him. In just a few training sessions I have seen my son's skills and basketball IQ improve and he is becoming a better and more confident player. We are excited to continue working with Coach Thurl.

He had me do drills I thought I wouldn't be able to do. He taught me the correct form and ways to do the specific drills he had me do. He is very uplifting and motivating. Can't wait for my next session!

Coach Thurl was wonderful! He was encouraging and taught my son some great drills that will definitely help improve his game!

Thurl is great!!!

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He is so good with my son! He has helped with fundamentals and confidence.

Coach Thurl is awesome to work with! He is so patient, and positive, and really gives his athletes a great workout, focusing on the things that need to be worked on and improved. He also gives little bits of wisdom and small life lessons like, doing your best in school, and being respectful to other people. He is friendly to everyone and humble, and my son has enjoyed training with him. My son is always exhausted and drenched from working hard, and really respects Coach Thurl. He's the best!

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Coach Bailey is the type of coach that parents of young athletes are very fortunate to find. He teaches invaluable basketball techniques along with important life lessons and my son left his first session with a renewed excitement for the sport as well as a great appreciation for this coach. Hands down best coach we've ever had!

What a privilege for my son to work with Coach Thurl. My son relished every minute of it. His analytical skills were so spot on and instantaneous that it fostered rapid improvement. We cannot wait to work with him again.

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Great coach extremely patient with my son.. Thank you

Coach Thurl made an immediate, positive impression on my son and us. Coach Thurl listened to my son's goals and went right to work. We are very impressed with Coach Thurl and give our highest recommendation.

absolutely wonderful!

Coach Thurl is amazing! Very personable and always positive! Highly recommend him for any basketball training for your athlete!

Coach Thurl is an excellent coach! The moment he stepped on the court his full attention was on my son. He took time to understand his background and was able to identify skill growth opportunities very quickly. His patience, positive attitude and skillful coaching/feedback paid immediate dividends during and after the session. My son left the session excited and enthusiastic with what he had just experienced. We will definitely book again.

Coach Thurl was incredible! He really has taken interest in my son and helping him improve his skills. He is personable and positive. He is also very intuitive on what my son needs to help his game. We are very pleased and look forward to continuing our training with Coach Thurl.

I was very impressed with the training and counseling that Coach Thurl offered my son. He gave him some great things to work on and I could see a great improvement in my sons form. More than that, he gave some great advice on the "shooters mentality" and how to have your head in the right place. He was great working with my 12 year old. Personal, friendly, kind, patient, I couldn't have been any happier with how he treated him.

Coach Thurl is a natural teacher who is just as much a role model as a coach. In a few sessions my son's shooting skills have improved immensely; but, more than that, the sessions have been a lesson in character building. Thank you Thurl Bailey sir.

Thurl is the most incredible coach!! He is so patient and does an outstanding job! My son had only had one session so far and the improvements are huge! THANK YOU Thurl!!!!

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Coach Thurl has been a valuable asset to my sons basketball performance! My son thoroughly enjoys learning and practicing with Coach Thurl. My sons progress has been amazing and very visible in his weekly games! I highly recommend Coach Thurl to take your kids to the next basketball level!!

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Coach Thurl has done a great job working with my son. Helping with for and consistency with jump shots. We've been so impressed that we did more session and will continue to do more.

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Coach Bailey is amazing. Great with scheduling and communication and very positive with his athletes.

Thurl is very patient, excellent at skills analysis. He is very encouraging yet not afraid to point out strengths and weaknesses....highly recommend!!

My son wanted tips on shooting better. Mr. Bailey addressed this specifically, and my son has been practicing the technique all week. Thanks!

Coach Thurl is amazing. He has a great plan, my son comes away from each session with higher confidence and improved skills. He will push you to do your best and help you to achieve it.

After one session, my son is already getting better. Coach Bailey is a godsend!

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Coach Thurl did an excellent job with my boy. He was positive and made him comfortable. He has a great ability to connect with these kids. The skill level is, obviously, phenomenal. Great great guy..great great session.

I've been so impressed with Coach T. My son is only 9, and earlier in his basketball development than most others that I'm sure Thurl works with. But I was so glad to see that Thurl was still able to customize some training for him that fit his skill level. My son has been working at home on all of the trainings that Thurl left with him. We're excited to continue working with Thurl and seeing our son's continued development.

Coach Thurl was wonderful and our son can't wait to go back!

My son is very timid and is not sure of himself when it comes to athletics. Coach Thurl had a way of making him feel at ease and confident. I love his approach to teaching, he pushes hard enough to help them learn and improve, but is encouraging when they struggle. My son walked away from his first session with more confidence than I have seen him have in a long time. He is so excited by what he learned and has been practicing everyday. I can't recommend coach Thurl Bailey enough and can't wait for our next session.

This is exactly the kind of direction my son has needed. I feel my son got higher quality instruction in just one hour than he has at an entire 2-3 day basketball camp. Money and time so well spent! On top of top shelf basketball instruction, I get the sense Thurl really cares about my son's progress and enjoys giving back in this way.

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Coach Bailey is awesome! Zach learns every time he works with Coach Bailey! He pushes Zach hard and challenges him to improve ! You can see the the skills Zach is learning during each game! Thanks Coach!

Coach Thurl is great! He's very patient and is a great teacher! My 14 year old enjoys having him!

Fabulous. Everything we had hoped for.

Coach Thurl is very impressive! The tips and drills he gave my boy after just one session were a huge help. He is so excited to spend some more one on one time with Coach Thurl. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to improve their basketball skills. It's an amazing experience for sure!

Excellent session. Coach Thurl made our athlete comfortable and was very encouraging. Broke down some of the basics and provided things he could do on his own time for improvement. Just one session gave so much improvement in his skill set. We look forward to many more sessions with coach Thurl.

An amazing coach and amazing person! Thank you Thurl

Great sessions! I've seen the effects of the training and work. Expert teacher, patient but not afraid to push you to your limits.

Great! Coach Thurl "Big T" Bailey was excellent! Wow, Coach Thurl was great in every way; friendly to my son and to me; gave my son specific, individually-tailored coaching help to my son that my son had not received before. Thurl encouraged and challenged my son and gave him many good tips. Coach Thurl is the best basketball coach my son has had. Coach Thurl noticed important, personal ways my son could improve his game and it was very valuable. Coach Thurl is helping my son take his game to the next level of performance. Coach Thurl was great with my son! My son enjoyed the training Thurl gave him and my son immediately began implementing it. We will do many more private lessons with Coach Thurl. Thank you Big T! You are great!

Thurl was very interested in helping my son learn the skills of the game. He was able to assess his skill level quickly and help my son to start training on the areas that he needed most. He is very kind and patient.

We have had such a great experience. My son has learned more in a few lessons than he has with years of practice. Not only has Thurl helped with the physical aspect of the game, but also the mental. I would whole heartedly recommend him to anyone!

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Thurl was excellent! He made my son feel at ease and motivated throughout the entire session! His knowledge and experience is invaluable. My son has already implemented Thurl's recommendations into his personal workouts, and we look forward to the next session with Thurl!

Great coach really professional and has helped very much.

Coach Thurl is an awesome coach. In just three training sessions, I can already see a big difference in my son -- his confidence and his ball handling and shooting skills. On top of that, Coach Thurl is a great mentor who really cares about his players. I would highly recommend him -- 5 stars!

Thurl is a great coach, he's the real deal down to earth and he cares about the kids and want to make them better. Would highly recommend him

I cannot thank Thurl enough for what he has done so far helping my boys. He is such a great mix of pushing them but also praising them. Every minute is so worth my money. We will definitely be scheduling more sessions.

After just 2 sessions with Coach T, my son's confidence in his shot has improved drastically! Thurl's experience as a player is a great asset and inspiration to my son as a high school player looking to play at the next level.

The best!

My daughter and her friend have had a couple of training sessions with Coach Thurl. It could not have been a better experience for them. He ran through a number of drills, adjusting the drills to their skill level. He both encouraged them and corrected their play. The experience made them both more motivated to improve their skills. They had fun, learned a lot, and want to schedule more training sessions with him.

Coach Thurl does a terrific job. He helped my boy know exactly what to do and how to improve. We will definitely be back for more coaching. I would recommend Coach Thurl to everyone.

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I appreciated that Coach Bailey asked up front what the goals I had were. And then showed confidence in me accomplishing them. The coaching was perceive and effective. Great man sharing his great talents. Thanks Coach!

Coach Thurl did a great job with our sons first session. He taught him a lot in just one session of basketball! Coach Thurl did a great job!! Thank You!!

Coach Thurl was great. My son has learned so much just in one session. He instantly corrected his shot and taught him the importance of keeping himself balanced with school. Can't wait for our next session.

"Big T" was fantastic! He kept my 6-year-old son focused and learning, but also having fun. He has not stopped practicing since his lesson... a few weeks ago! Thurl really understands how to instill a love of the game. We can't wait for our next lesson!

Coach Thurl is a fantastic coach and a great person. He really knows how to teach and motivate kids like no other. Thank you Coach!!

Had our first session with Coach Thurl and I wish we had gone to see him sooner. He immediately made my son comfortable and did a great job working with him on parts of his game he noticed needed adjustment. Will definitely be scheduling more sessions with him after the season ends in a few weeks.

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My son enjoyed his first coaching session with Coach Thurl immensely. He has been practicing the new skills and drills he learned everyday! My son is waiting with anticipation for his next session! Coach Thurl is the best!

Awesome first session...just signed up for 10 more. Anxious to have our son working with with.

Big T was great, he really made our son confident in his skills. He is very good at stressing fundamentals first and foremost. Thanks Big T

Coach Thurl Baily is so great with my son. Not only has improved on my sons basketball skills, but has been so great with helping him understand the mental side of the game. Thanks Thurl!

Thurl is working with my son who is just getting into basketball. Thurl was so great. He put my son at ease right away. You can tell that Thurl is very talented at basketball but more importantly very, very good at working with kids and helping them with their game.

First session with Coach Thurl. He was excellent in every respect: i. he communicated exceptionally well with my child; ii. he directed a variety of productive skill building exercises; and iii. he gave an incredibly fun lesson. My son has been practicing ever since, anxiously awaits his next lesson, and keeps telling me over and over how great the coaching session with Coach Thurl was. Rate the lesson and coach 5 stars and would highly recommend.

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Coach Thurl Bailey was professional, prepared and knowledgeable. He instilled trust and demonstrated patience. He instantly put my young son at ease. He began working with him immediately on drills that will assist with improved ball handling. We would definitely recommend him as a coach.

My son loved working with Coach Thurl -- we will be scheduling more sessions consistently
Brad Pace

Had a great session the Coach Bailey. He is an excellent teach and gave me a lot of thing to work on to improve my game. I would highly recommend him to anyone wanting to be a better basketball player

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