San Diego Sol

We have current and former high school, college and semi-pro coaches and players in our club. Two of our coaches played professional basketball in Europe. We provide quality training opportunities for players to improve their basketball skills and help empower them to use the lessons they've learned on the court to their everyday lives. The coaches emphasize the principles of discipline, perseverance, teamwork and the pursuit of excellence. All of the coaches have the same philosophy. We believe that correct fundamentals lead to proper execution on the court. If you are taught correctly, especially from the beginning, playing basketball can be fun and easy to learn... AND to master. Read about 2 Sol coaches who played professional basketball in Europe.		Coach Tony Allen: Club Founder & President tallen@sandiegosol.com Coach Allen was the coach of the original San Diego Sol women's basketball team which compiled a win-loss record of 28-3 in the 1997-98 season, including a re-match win against the Chinese Jr. National Team. This Sol team was also the 1997 NWBL Regional Champion and National Runner Up. He has been a personal and sports fitness trainer and coach for 23 years. His clients and teams have won numerous awards, titles and championships at every level from recreational to the professional.
		Coach Amy Cleveland: Club Director coachcleveland@sandiegosol.com Coach Cleveland was an original member of the Sol women's team. She played professionally in Germany for two seasons and was the conference's 3rd leading scorer one of those seasons. Cleveland coached her Sol Senior Women's team to the Gold Medal at the 2005 Senior National Games in Pittsburgh, PA. She also coached a 17u and a 15u youth team while playing in Germany. She set 21 individual records, including the career scoring record, while playing at Claremont McKenna College. She earned Conference honors all 4 years as well as All American Honors her senior season.
		Coach Sparkle Anderson: coachanderson@sandiegosol.com Coach Anderson graduated from Serra High School in 2003, playing 4 years of Varsity Basketball and 4 years of Track and Field. She was a two time MVP for both sports. After high school, Anderson played Division I, collegiate basketball at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Anderson set a school record by appearing in 117 games. She finished her career as the fourth leading scorer. She received first team league honors and was also captain for 2 years. While attending Cal Poly she also participated in track and field in the events of the 4x100 rely, long jump, and triple jump. Anderson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation Administration, Sports Management. She was the assistant basketball coach at Serra High School for 2008-09 season and continues to help train and coach kids all over San Diego with basketball.
		Coach Denise Bennett: coachbennett@sandiegosol.com Coach Bennett graduated from Santana High School where she led her team to two CIF championships and two league championships. She also earned her team’s MVP award for 2 consecutive years. Bennett played collegiate basketball at Cuyamaca where she earned First Team All League and was voted her team’s Defensive Player of the Year. She later transferred to Grossmont College and was again selected to All League honors. She is pursuing her masters degree at San Diego State Univeristy Most recently she is the varsity assistant coach for Granite Hills High School.
		Coach Dalia Ghandour: Coach Ghandour graduated from West Hills High School in 2006 playing 4 years of Varsity Basketball and 2 years of Track and Field. She was team captain for three consecutive years and earned her team’s Best Defensive Player, MVP and Coach’s awards. Ghandour played collegiate basketball at Grossmont where she was captain and received the coach’s award again and continued her third year as the Director of Operations. She is pursuing her Bachelors of Science at San Diego State University, where she will continue her studies to pursue her dreams to attend the School of Medicine and obtain her Ph.D.
		Coach Jennie Harris: coachharris@sandiegosol.com Coach Harris was a member of the original Sol women's basketball team. Harris earned a scholarship to San Diego Christian College (formerly Christian Heritage College) to play both volleyball and basketball. Coach Harris captained her collegiate volleyball team to the National Championship her junior year. She was also a four year captain for her basketball team. During her senior year she led the nation in rebounding, averaging 18 per game. She graduated from SDCC in 1999, receiving a degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Elementary Education.
		Coach Spatticus Harris: coachsharris@sandiegosol.com Originally from Toronto, Canada Coach Harris came to California to attend San Diego Christian College (formerly Christian Heritage College). He played all 4 years at SDCC leading the Hawks to 2 National Championships (NCCAA). He earned 1st team All American honors and graduated with a degree in kinesiology. He is currently a full time coach for San Diego Sol. Coach Harris is married to Coach Jennie Harris and they have a 7 year old daughter and 4 year old son together.
		Coach Nate Heckman: coachheckman@sandiegosol.com Coach Heckman graduated from Cherry Creek High School in Englewood, Colorado, where he earned All State honors and was the team MVP and scoring leader. He continued his playing career in college as a four-year member of the NAIA Division I Point Loma Nazarene University squad. While he was at PLNU Coach Heckman met his wife, Sara, an original member of the San Diego Sol women's team. He also was a member of the Track & Field team at PLNU, running the 200 meter sprint, relays, triple jump and high jump. Coach Heckman has coached youth and high school players at various camps and clinics across the country.
		Coach Cameron Koford: coachkoford@sandiegosol.com Coach Koford played college basketball at University of Utah under Rick Majerus where they won 2 conference championships and 2 appearances in NCAA tournament. He has spent the past five years playing professional basketball around the world in Portugal, China, Australia and Mexico. As a big man at 7'2 he has been a leading shot blocker and rebounder in various leagues helping win championships in Australia and Mexico. He also spent a season with the ABA team Salt Lake Snow Bears who were the regular season champs only losing one game all year. He has coached a variety of age groups for the premiere club Knox Basketball Inc. in Melbourne Australia. He has been married for 6 years and has a 3 year old daughter and 15 month old son.
		Coach Julian Ota: Coach Ota graduated from John Marshall fundamental in Pasadena where he was a two year varsity guard in basketball and a two year varsity quarterback for football. Also, he ran track in the 4x4 event earning him the title of a three sport athlete while posting a 3.5 GPA. In his junior year he helped lead his basketball team to its most successful season in the past decade as they posted a 22-6 record before losing to Harvard Westlake in a semi finals match up, the furthest they have reached in tournament play. As a quarterback, Coach Ota led the team in all purpose yards and touchdowns in his senior season and was voted team MVP. Currently coach Ota is attending SDSU studying Comparative Literature and is on pace to graduate in 2011.
		Coach Jackie Turpin: Coach Turpin graduated from UC Davis in 2007 where she played basketball for four years, leading the team in assists, rebounds, steals, and points. She won Davis' Heitman Award as outstanding female athlete of the year in 2006 for her performance not only in basketball but also track and field. She is originally from the San Diego area, having attended Santana High School from 1998-2002, where she led her team to 2 San Diego Section titles and 3 Grossmont League titles. In high school, she received Grossmont League MVP honors in 2002, and in the same year received their Sportsmanship award. She has also coached youth and high school players at camps and clinics at Maryland, UC Davis, UConn, Stanford, and Berkeley.