Tag Archive | "Luke Still"

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HCA hosts another successful hoops camp

Posted on 19 July 2018 by LeslieM

By Gary Curreri

For two solid weeks, the Highlands Christian Academy basketball camp attracted 40 campers to take part in not only learning how to play the sport but also learn life lessons.

I am always grateful and excited that we are able to offer basketball camp here at HCA,” said HCA Boys basketball coach and school athletic director Jim Good, who has worked the camp personally for 21 years. “It is by far our most successful athletic camp we do in the summer.”

Reg Cook, the school’s former AD and Boys Varsity basketball coach, started the camp in 1986 with 19 campers in attendance. The first week of the camp consisted of children in the 7th-12th grades, while the second week consisted of 2nd-6th graders. Both sessions attracted approximately 40 campers each.

I am extremely thankful for our coaches who do a tremendous job leading, working stations, sharing devotions and officiating games,” Good said.

This year’s staff included several of the HCA Basketball coaches: Luke Still (Boys JV), Josh Good (Boys JH), Jeff Sullivan (Boys 6th grade), John Wilson (Former Girls Varsity who is at Charlotte Christian now) and Kayla Lassen (HCA alumnus who is attending Liberty University).

Special guests, including Andrew Smith and Tomasz Gielo, would lead some drills in the morning. Smith graduated from HCA in 2011 and helped lead the Knights to back-to-back District Championships in his junior and senior years. The former first-team All-County selection played four years in the Big South at Liberty University and just finished up his third season playing overseas, including professional stints in Latvia, Netherlands, and just recently in Germany.

Tomasz was a teammate of Smith’s while at Liberty but transferred his senior year and finished playing his college ball at Mississippi. He has been playing professionally in Spain the last two years. Tomasz is originally from Poland and is representing his country this summer by playing for the Polish National team.

It was great having these two young men give back to these kids,” Good said. “They were given a 45-minute time slot of leading some offensively minded drills they have incorporated while playing in college or overseas. The campers had a tremendous amount of respect and ‘awe’ in having them part of our camp this summer.”

The typical morning included a devotion from one of the coaches as they shared a spiritual truth for the day. They then focused the entire group on warm-up runs, dribbling, ball-handling and stretching.

Each morning, the campers performed several speed and agility drills led by the coaches in a station format. The group was then divided up to work on individual skill and development with lay-ups, cone drills, and shooting.

Each day, a specific skill was broken down for the campers to focus on and, every day, the campers competed in a different trophy competition which included: one on one, two on two, free throws, and hot shots.

Lunch was off campus at Chick-Fil-A, Wendy’s, and CiCi’s Pizza and we are extremely grateful for our relationship with these organizations and the support they have for HCA Athletics,” Good said.

The afternoon consisted of full court five on five games. Hours for the camp were 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and will be offered again next June.

Other camps coming up at HCA are softball, track and field, indoor soccer, golf and volleyball. For more information, visit the website at www.highlandsknights.org.

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JV Knights win SACC Title

Posted on 22 February 2018 by LeslieM

The HCA Junior Varsity boys’ basketball team won the SACC Tournament recently with a 63-61 victory over Westminster Academy. (L to R) top row: James Nichols, Sean Julien, Bryce Everette, Brady Tiedemann, Darryl Carney, Pasha Szklany, Coach Luke Still; (bottom row): Nick Vaccaro, Mike Giourgas, Jimmy Good, Kolton Wik, Lor Louis, Josh Gray. Submitted photo

By Gary Curreri

The Highlands Christian Academy junior varsity boys basketball team got a little revenge as it captured the South Atlantic Coast Conference (SACC) championship with a 63-61 victory over Westminster Academy.

The Knights finished 15-8 this season and avenged its overtime loss to Westminster last year. Highlands Christian finished 15-3 last year.

I could not be prouder of our guys,” said Coach Luke Still, whose team also won the Sheridan Hills JV Invitational a week ago by defeating Boca Christian and then Sheridan Hills. “Going into this season we knew we had lost some talented guys from the previous year; however, this team was full of guys who were determined and not afraid to put in hard work.”

The top-seeded Westminster Academy squad advanced to the championship game with a 59-57 win over fourth-seeded Berean Christian, while second seeded Highlands edged third-seeded Jupiter Christian, 47-46, to move on. That win also avenged a two-point defeat to Jupiter Christian earlier this year.

In the opening game against Jupiter Christian, James Nichols led the Knights with 13 points, while Jimmy Good added 12 including 3 three-pointers.

In the championship game against the Lions, Nichols led the team again with 16 points, while Kolton Wik added 15 and Good had 13. The Knights had seven baskets from long distance that game with Wik and Good both hitting 3 each.

As a first-year student and player at Highlands, I knew this would be the right fit for me,” said Nichols, 14, of Deerfield Beach. “I enjoyed how Coach Luke prepared us in practices for the games. We worked really hard as a team and were able to accomplish our goal of winning the SACC Championship.”

The Knights were tied at 61 when Lor Louis got fouled with one second left on the clock. He hit both free throws to seal the Championship.  He finished the game with 5 points and had 8 points in the semis against Jupiter.

Just getting into the championship game was success for me, but our team was determined,” Still added. “After posting our best half the entire season, we let the lead slip in the fourth quarter. Westminster always plays hard, and had tied the game, with one second left on the clock, Lor Louis was fouled and knocked down both free throws. What a moment, for our team, for Lor who has worked incredibly hard to improve his game, and for our school.

To win the SACC on our home floor and the first win in over eight years,” he added. “As a coach, you desire to see young men improve on the court, but, more importantly, to see them grow in character and integrity as young men. It was such an honor to coach this incredible group of guys this season.”

 

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Highlands holds successful hoops camps

Posted on 26 July 2017 by LeslieM

Highlands holds successful hoops camps

By Gary Curreri

For more than two decades, Highlands Christian Academy (HCA) has hosted an annual summer basketball camp at the school.

Jim Good, who serves as the school athletic director and boys’ varsity basketball coach, has been there for most of those camps as he just completed his 20th year. Good’s predecessor, Reg Cook, the former AD and boys varsity basketball coach, started the camp in 1986 with 19 campers in attendance.

I am always grateful and excited that we are able to offer basketball camp here at HCA,” said Good, who has worked the camps since 1998. “It is by far our most successful athletic camp we do in the summer. I am extremely thankful for our coaches who do a tremendous job leading, working stations, sharing devotions and officiating games.”

 This year’s staff included several of the HCA Basketball coaches: Luke Still (Boys JV), Josh Good (Boys JH), Jeff Sullivan (Boys 6th grade), John Wilson (Girls Varsity) and Caris Everette (Girls Elementary).

Also, Max Spinner, head coach at Boca High and former Bobcats player, came every morning in our older group to lead our “Defensive Session,” Jim Good added. “Coach Spinner created and provided quality instruction and drills on defense. 

I have always been impressed with his teaching and coaching style and have watched his teams really buy into defense,” Good continued. “It was great to have an outside voice who provided energy and enthusiasm in implementing some new defensive drills.”

Also, Max Spinner, head coach at Boca High and former Bobcats player, came every morning in our older group to lead our “Defensive Session,” Jim Good added. “Coach Spinner created and provided quality instruction and drills on defense. 

Good said the camp theme was from Philippians 2:13 which reads, “In humility, consider others better than yourselves.”

Our typical morning included a devotion from one of our coaches as they shared a spiritual truth for the day,” he said. “We then focused the entire group on warm-up runs, dribbling, ball-handling and stretching.”

Every morning, the campers performed several speed and agility drills led by the coaches in a station format. The group was then divided up to work on individual skill and development with lay-ups, cone drills and shooting. The first week consisted of 35 elementary school students, while the second week consisted of 50 children in the junior high and high school age groups. 

Each day a specific skill was broken down for the campers to focus on. Every day, the campers competed in a different trophy competition, which included one on one, two on two, free throws and hot shots. Lunch was off campus at Chick-fil-A and CiCi’s Pizza, while the afternoon consisted of full court five on five games.

The school also held camps for softball, track and field, and indoor soccer. The remaining camps offered at the school next week (July 31-Aug. 4) include golf and girls volleyball. Please visit the website at www.highlandsknights.org for more information.

Simply Soccer camps offered

The Simply Soccer camp is winding up its 29th year of summer camps in nearby Coral Springs. 

The camp is for boys and girls, ages 5-15, and of all skill levels, which are taught a variety of soccer skills from dribbling to shooting.

There are three sessions each day ranging from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; extended hours camp from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a Tiny Tot program for kids ages 5 and 6 from 9 a.m. to noon. 

Full day campers must bring a soccer ball, swimsuit, shin guards, water bottle and lunch. You do not have to be a city resident to attend.

The camp has just three sessions left this summer including July 31 to Aug. 4; Aug. 7 to 11, and Aug. 14 to 18.

You can register daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Coral Springs Gymnasium, 2501 Coral Springs Dr., Coral Springs. For information on the Coral Springs camp, call 954-345-2200.

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