Coming Soon!
I started coaching in 2018 after graduating from Central Michigan University. I’ve coached 3rd-5th, 6th-8th (travel) and Varsity girls/boys basketball. This also includes 4 years of player development coaching with athletes ranging from kindergarten up to professional overseas players.
I am from the Metro Detroit area in Michigan. In high school I played for Southgate Anderson where I was a four-year varsity starter at point guard. Scored 1,000+ points and was part of the News Herald Dream Team. After graduating high school, I continued my academic and basketball career at Central Michigan University playing Division 1 Women’s Basketball. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management and Entrepreneurship.
I am excited to help build a successful tradition within the Storm community. My coaching philosophy is: An athlete’s character is far more important than their talent. My goal is to help create well-rounded players on the court and better people off the court. I strive to strengthen basketball talents of my players while teaching them self-accountability, work- ethic and leadership skills.
When I am not coaching basketball, I enjoy doing artwork, going to local coffee shops and buying sneakers! Looking forward to meeting all of you and working with your daughters!
Hello, my name is Jalynn Estrada also known as Coach Jae! I’ve played four years of varsity basketball at Niles West High School from 2012-2016. Named All-Tournament Team of 2015 and All-Conference 2016 and Buffalo Wild Wings player of the week a total of 5 times. For AAU I played with Mac Irvin Lady Fire for 6 years where I was named MVP in 2010 and helped lead my team to the 2015 Las Vegas Valley Championship. I then went on to play college basketball at the prestigious HBCU Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama where I started my freshman year and was named SIAC Newcomer of the week. I later transferred to the University of Saint Mary located in Leavenworth, Kansas where I completed my Bachelors of Business Administration in May of 2022. I have also coached grades 4-6 at MCC assisting a fellow teammate.
Along with that I also spend some time personally training middle school basketball players. I have experience in travel basketball, I’ve traveled to Indiana, Atlanta, Las Vegas, North Carolina, and Texas. I look forward to coaching this year and developing these young ladies into the best players they can be, most importantly creating memories and having fun!
My name is Eddie Hartnett, and I am the Storm Basketball Co-Director. Along with my role with Storm Basketball, I also coach with Storm and I am the Director of Programming with Hot Shots Sports. I have worked with Hot Shots Sports and Storm Basketball since September 2019.
Prior to working in my current role, I have coached basketball since 2006 at various locations. From 2006-2008, I worked with the Niles North Boys Feeder program as an assistant coach, while studying at Illinois State University for my undergraduate degree. After graduating in 2008, I worked with Evanston Girls Feeder Basketball from 2009-2010, grades 6-8, and then was moved to the new Evanston Boys Feeder program in 2010. With the Evanston Boys program, I coached various levels, 5th-7th grades, and helped develop a strong pool of players that wound up winning several conference, regional, sectional, and super sectional titles while playing for Evanston Varsity, several years later.
In 2016, I was studying at Concordia University for my graduate degree in Sports Management and was offered an opportunity as an assistant coach with their Men’s Basketball program. I was on staff for the 2016-17 season, and completed my graduate studies in December 2016. In 2017, I was offered a position with Rochelle Zell Jewish High School as a Sophomore Boys Basketball Head Coach, and a Varsity Assistant Coach. I remained on staff with Rochelle Zell from 2017-2019, and was apart of the 2018-19 team that won the schools third ever Regional title.
Outside of working with Hot Shots Sports, I enjoy crushing my friends in fantasy sports, playing basketball and golf, and spending time with my wife, Katie, and our daughter, Nicole.
I'm originally from the Bay Area and played many different sports growing up, including basketball, volleyball, and track through high school. Basketball was always my favorite because of the wide range of individual skills, teamwork, and strategy involved.
I went to college at Carnegie Mellon, where I studied math and computer science and was a guard on the basketball team. The highlight of my college basketball career was advancing to the NCAA D3 Sweet Sixteen. I've been in Chicago for the past four years and work at a finance company downtown. I have two years of experience coaching middle school club basketball, along with helping run various basketball camps/clinics/Special Olympics over the past decade. As a coach, I try to emphasize the development of solid fundamentals, along with creating a challenging but safe environment for players to grow skill-wise, as teammates, and as leaders. Outside of basketball, I enjoy cycling, reading, and hanging out with my two kittens Popcorn and Panther.
Hi, I’m Coach Phil! I grew up as kid in New Jersey having a huge love for sports. As I entered high school, I realized how much passion I had for the game of basketball specifically. Playing four years of varsity basketball, I finished Offensive Player of the Year in 2005 for King’s Christian and earned league All-Star spots in 2004 and 2005.
When I reached college, I spent much of my summer and winter breaks helping with basketball camps at the YMCA. Later, after becoming the assistant coach of the Gloucester City Middle School Girls’ basketball program for 3 seasons, I went on to become the head coach in 2017, where we won our first league championship, and coached there 5 more seasons until moving to Chicago this year. As a coach, I believe the most influential opportunities a kid or young student-athlete has through playing the game of basketball is the commitment to learning, growing while having fun, and understanding the importance of teamwork. The importance of getting the most out of each minute and drill in practice and training is a most important asset of success in the game of basketball. Off the court since moving to Chicago, I work in sales and enjoy spending time golfing and hanging out with my two Italian Greyhounds. I’m looking forward to the season as a Storm Basketball coach and very excited for all of the teams, players, and coaches to get back to work!
Hello! My name is Samson McWherter, and I am excited to join the Storm Basketball Program! Basketball has been the most consistent thing in my life throughout 25+ years. I am an ex-collegiate and pro athlete turned trainer and coach. As a trainer, I have worked with some pretty premier players and as a coach I have worked in Chicago Public League. Currently, I am the Player Development Coach at East West University.
The biggest and most important thing that I will be bringing to the Storm teams is my ability to get our players ready for the high school level through detailed training and honest coaching. Building relationships and developing players is absolutely my favorite part of this world.
