Hustle Region Preview: Utah Force
We may be in the middle of high school basketball season but it’s not too early to look ahead to what’s coming up on the AAU circuit. Over the next few months we will be taking a look at the teams that will be participating in the PrepHoops Circuit Hustle Region and here’s a look at Utah Force.
Utah Force will have teams in 15U and 14U divisions of the Hustle Region and will be at the Spring Kickoff, Mayhem in the Plex, and the Hustle Region Finals.
Here’s a transcript of a conversation we had with Utah Force coach Katie Walker.
Why did you start your program? How long have you been around?
Both Troy and I grew up playing ball and got to witness first-hand the amazing things it did for our lives. The lessons you learn while playing organized sports are not just sports related, you learn valuable life skills that help you strive in the real world. We started our program to give kids the opportunity to be a part of a positive organization and learn things from the game of basketball that many people never learn in a lifetime– community, hard-work, discipline, communication, commitment, responsibility, teamwork, setting and achieving goals… the list goes on and on. We are in the middle of our second year as an organization.
What is the goal of your program for 2019?
Our goal for 2019 is to grow Force so we can reach as many athletes as possible, while getting our name out nationally to ensure our athletes are getting every opportunity they would wish for.
What is your program’s mission each year?
Our mission each year is to help young athletes learn and grow as much as possible to become better individuals both on and off the court.
Do you know of any players that will be back in your program this year? Who should we have our eye on?
Our 8th and 9th grade top teams are both strong and have several competitors you should keep an eye out for–
9th grade: Porter Neilson, Luke Lowe, Mitch Larsen, Merrick Sherwood, Bowen Davies, Landon Giles, Cole Saunders, David Burnett, Brantyn Van Dyke
8th grade: Yorgio Golesis, Tayshaun Tramel, Maddux Albers, Logan Deal, Dison Brown, Jaxson Workman, Beau Jaques
Why did you choose the Prep Hoops Circuit?
We chose the PrepHoops Circuit because we are looking to get our athletes recognized by college scouts to give them opportunities of scholarships, and PrepHoops seems like they could help us do that. We like the fact that they focus on D2, D3, and JuCo players because that is where a lot of our players fit. Our job as coaches is to give them the networking opportunities they need to achieve their goals, and they’re job as athletes is to step up and show what they’ve got. PrepHoops helps seems like it will help us both do our jobs. We’re excited to see what doors PrepHoops can open for us!