Everybody can learn the game
Our teaching philosophy is derived from the combined years of experience and skills of our staff: All children can learn the game of basketball in a fun and exciting environment. Our successful methods of teaching and training have produced skills improvement, a higher hoops IQ, and an appreciation for this wonderful game in literally thousands of student athletes.

The HoopKidz approach to introducing basketball skills to our youngest participants (ages 3-6) involves teaching all aspects of the game. But we make it fun! Many of the games and drills our youngest participants engage in help to hone their hoops skills—like passing, dribbling and shooting—without them even realizing it. They’re so focused on the fun of it all!

For our older participants (ages 7 and up), HoopKidz emphasizes preparing our student athletes for each level of organized play they will encounter. We teach them all aspects of offensive and defensive basketball, including the terminology, and we introduce them to the different aspects of the rules of the game. We prepare them for playing for recreation, Boys and Girls Club, school, AAU teams, and above.

HoopKidz is largely non-competitive (however, our HoopKidz Summer Basketball Camp does include a competitive, team component). Skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship are at the foundation of our highly successful training program.

What we bring to the court
HoopKidz/HoopElite is first and foremost a basketball program. We like to emphasize that because our founders and directors are basketball people-- coaches and former players who've spent most of their lives in and around the game. We have a passion for basketball, which is the foundation for our teaching methods with HoopKidz and HoopElite.

HoopKidz was founded by former player and coach, David Dickerson more than a decade ago. David’s vision was to ensure that children were getting an opportunity to learn solid basketball fundamentals at an early age. Coach Dickerson enlisted some of the area's best high school coaches known for their ability to teach. Good friend and NBA Scout Clay Dade came on board very early as co-director. Armed with a great staff, Coach Dickerson (Hampton University) then created our highly effective methods for teaching young players the often daunting tasks of jumping, running, shooting, dribbling, and passing, all in a coordinated, graceful fashion.

Our core teaching/coaching staff includes:

• Clay Dade, Co-Director; Wake Forest, Winthrop University, Ohio University (Master's, Sports Marketing)
• Spencer Allen, Co-Director; Morgan State University, Assistant Coach DeMatha HS, Assistant Coach Bishop McNamara HS
• Dale Lambreth, Co-Director; York College, Head Coach Thomas Stone HS, former Head Coach Montgomery Blair High School
• Lawrence Moore, University Of Texas, former Head Coach Bishop McNamara High School
• Bryant Turner, Assistant Coach, Bishop McNamara High School
• Robert 'Bob' Batten, Drexel University, New York Tech University, Temple University (MBA), current administrator/Dean Of Students, Bowie State University
• Guy Nelson, Montgomery College-Rockville, Newport Prep- Women's, Montrose Christian-Women's, AAU
• Charles 'Chaz' Johnson, Mid-Atlantic Director, UNC-Greensboro, Yorktown High School, Yorktown, VA , Hampton Roads Academy
• Kevin Coby, AAU, Co-Director Owings Mills, MD
• Pamela Kirkland, Seton Hall University
• Karen Lawson, Cal Poly
• Dennis Kirkland, Co-Director Owings Mills, MD, Wagner University, former Head Coach Tuckahoe High School, NY
• George Perkins, Virginia Union University
• Leon Willis, VA State University
• Mark Edwards, Towson University, Asst. Coach DeMatha HS, CH Flowers
• Reginald Barnes, No. VA Director, Head Coach Herndon HS, Herndon, VA
• Valarie Allen, Head Coach Girls Chantilly HS, Chantilly, VA
• Chrissy Kelly, Head Coach Girls Battlefield HS, fmr Head Coach Girls Forest Park HS
• Craig Killgo, PGCC, High Point HS, MD
• Aaron Hutchinson, Toronto, Canada, Bowie State University, Atlanta GA Area Director