Coaches
We believe that our United coaches are the best of the bunch. They’re dedicated and hard working. They hold our kids accountable, but are kind and encouraging in their coaching styles. They are responsible and hold themselves to a high standard so the athletes of our program can look up to them as mentors. Our coaches value fundamentals, defense and recognize that playing the game should be both educational and fun for our student-athletes. They want to provide the most memorable experiences and life lessons that each player will be able to take with them on and off the court throughout their lives.
Craig Alexander
Team: 5th Grade White
Bio: Coach Craig has lived in the Lawrence area his whole life and loves the community. He has played basketball from a young age and continues to play regularly every week. He has been coaching youth basketball for 3 years prior to joining United this year. In the past he has also coached soccer and baseball because he enjoys being a role model for kids.
Why I Coach: “I love to coach young kids because I like seeing them develop in basketball and life skills as they become great young men. United teaches about more than just basketball and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
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Christopher Austin
Team: 5th Grade Red
Bio: Coach Chris is from Topeka and is 24 years old. He played High school basketball at Shawnee Heights, as well as Highland Park under Ken Darting. Chris has spent the last 5 years of his life serving the youth through the Boys and Girls club of Lawrence. He has coached BGC basketball teams as well as worked in some clinics in Topeka.
Why He Coaches: “I feel it’s important for me not only as a coach but as a mentor to not only help guide the youth I interact with towards sports success but to also help them establish a love for the “process” of exploring past their comfort zones in any part of life, in order to help them reach their full potential on and off the court.”
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Courtee R. Smith Jr.
Teams: 4th grade
Bio: Coach Tee has coached youth basketball for over 5 years. He’s played basketball his whole life. He played on the varsity level at high school and played on the last JV team for the University of Kansas. Tee is Lawrence native and has raised three kids in this wonderful community.
Why He Coaches: “I extremely enjoy sharing my knowledge and passion for this beautiful game of basketball.”
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Reshawn Caro
Teams: 3rd grade
Bio: Reshawn played basketball at the high school varsity level. He loves basketball and being able to mentor young kids. He spends his day as a para-educator at a local middle school and also at the local Boys & Girls Club. He also coaches his Boys & Girls Club co-ed basketball team.
Why He Coaches: “I love teaching the game of basketball to the youth of this community, especially because it allows me to have a positive impact on them.”
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Nate Collins
Teams: Skills Training
Bio: Nate played basketball both at the high school varsity and college level. He spent his high school years at Pembroke Hill and his college career at Kansas City Community College. Nate has had basketball in his blood since he was a young man. His father was an elite level coach and grew up watching some of the great local basketball players learn the game. This is Coach Nate’s 2nd year coaching for Kansas United.
Why He Coaches: “It allows me to be an outlet for young men as well as a role model for them. It also pushes me to be a better person.”
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Nick Friesner
Team: 6th Grade
Bio: Coach Nick has been playing basketball since he was in 4th grade. He played at the varsity level in high school from his sophomore to senior season and was a part of a team his junior year that took third in state.
Why I Coach: “I am coaching because I enjoy being a leader and teaching kids from my experience and seeing them grow.”
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Alex Graves
Team: 3rd Grade Black
Bio: Coach Alex has been coaching youth sports in Lawrence for over 5 years. Basketball has been a passion of his from time he picked up a ball at 5 years old. He played basketball through the varsity level in High School while growing up in Wichita. He and his wife Brooke have 3 kids who are heavily involved in competitive sports here in Lawrence.
Why He Coaches: “I love being able to teach the game at this level to watch kids develop a love and passion for the game.”
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Christian Holmsen
Teams: 5th grade
Bio: Christian played basketball for 15 years, including high level club travel ball. He’s coached at Boys & Girls Club, Valor Christian High School Youth Development Camp and now Kansas United. He’s used to working around kids after growing up with 3 young siblings.
Why He Coaches: “I love working with kids and working in basketball. I enjoy helping the kids learn valuable life skills while helping to teach them the game of basketball.”
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Colby Manley
Team: 6th Grade Select
Bio: Coach Colby Manley hails from Washington, Kansas & enjoyed a very successful track career at Cloud County Community College where he graduated with an associate’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management in 1997. Upon graduation, Colby & his wife Lisa moved to Eudora, KS in 2002 at which time Colby went to work for Rielly & Sons Inc. & he also began coaching all youth sports. Coach Manley has helped lead all of his son’s teams to several regular & post season championships since Kole Manley started playing competitive baseball, basketball, & football. Coach Manley is a hard worker who embodies the “Team First” mantra & takes great pride in instilling those same principals into the youth that he coaches.
Why He Coaches: “I feel humbled & honored each time parents/loved ones entrust their child to my coaching care, which is why I place such an emphasis on being prepared, attitude, & effort from all my players & not just the result of a certain game/contest. It’s my goal each season to help further your son or daughter’s knowledge & skill of the sport they’re playing, while helping them to apply the adversities that they will inevitably face on the court/field to what goes on in their everyday lives. My teams will always conduct themselves with great character which is one of many reason why I’m so proud to be a part of a class organization like Kansas United!”
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Nate Thomas (aka. Dr. E. Nathan Thomas, III)
Team: 5th grade Black
Bio: Coach Thomas coached middle school basketball in the mid-90s. He played varsity basketball at Guilford High School in Rockford, Illinois and loves defense. He is a diehard Norfolk State and Michigan State fan and proud alumni. In 2014 his family moved from Tampa, Florida for work and he currently resides in Lawrence, Kansas with his wife (Tamara) and their two children (Landon and Sydney).
Why He Coaches: “As an educator, I feel basketball teaches young boys about discipline, hard work, leadership, team work and how to be a good winner and loser so they can become great men when they get older.”
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Xavier Newman
Teams: 4th grade
Bio: Xavier played organized basketball from the age of 3 to 19 and has been coaching for the last 4 years. He’s born and raised in Lawrence, KS and has given back to his community by coaching for the Boys & Girls Club co-ed basketball team.
Why He Coaches: “The reason I enjoy coaching for Kansas United it because I really enjoy being around the program and respect everyone involved. We are all a big family that loves the kids and loves to teach.”
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Elwood Ott
Team: 5th Grade Red
Bio: Coach Elwood has lived in Lawrence since 1999. He comes to United with over 15 years of coaching experience from youth teams, high school teams, and all the way to the college level (NAIA) with Haskell Indian Nations University.
Why He Coaches: “I am passionate about making the game fun for kids, while they learn life skills and the fundamentals of basketball.”
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Jason Sullivan
Team: 6th Grade Select
Bio: Coach Jason grew up in a small town north of Lawrence. He played basketball, football, and baseball all the way through high school, but chose to pursue baseball after high school. Jason’s been around Lawrence his entire life, and has been associated with Kansas United since the inception of the program. He believes Jeff has brought a quality program to Lawrence and the surrounding area.
Why He Coaches: “I got into coaching my sons football and basketball teams since he was in 2nd grade. I enjoy working with kids, whether it’s on or off the court. I like the competitiveness and teamwork that sports teaches!!”
“I can accept FAILURE, everyone fails at something, but what I won’t accept is NOT TRYING.” -MICHAEL JORDAN
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Anthony Perry