Coach Andrew Persin
Ed.M., NCCPT
My Mission and Vision
Welcome parents, players, and coaches. My name is Andrew Persin and I have been coaching youth basketball for the past 14 years. I currently reside in Paso Robles and teach English, Journalism, and Link Crew full time at King City High School.
My passion for the game emerged when I became serious about it in middle school. Since then, I have continued to play competitively in several different capacities.
Having had numerous coaches along my hoops journey, all implementing their own unique styles, I found myself developing a deep appreciation for the subtle, yet powerful underpinnings of the game. I also found myself either flourishing as a player or doubting my abilities because of the relationships I had with my coaches. A few of my coaches served as mentors, guiding me through some of the most challenging, tumultuous times in my life, while others chose to function more as bosses, people who I had to obey in order to see the court.
These mentors, these leaders, fueled my passion, while these bosses made me question it. The product of these contrasting coaching styles was a juxtaposition of emotions - confidence and fear - which truly tested me as an athlete and young adult. I quickly realized that a coach's confidence in me had an enormous impact on how I played during a game:
During a middle school championship game, I turned the ball over multiple times, missed a few layups and subsequently found myself benched for the rest of the game. Later that night, when I was analyzing the game, I realized that these mistakes were all fear-fueled; I never missed layups in practice. The coach, I had begun to recognize, was almost waiting for me to fail.
During a high school championship game, I hit a half-court game winner at the buzzer because the coach looked at me after the time-out and said, "Take control...finish it." I knew he had confidence in me, and I knew I had to carry the team; I rarely made half-court shots in practice. The coach, I had begun to realize, wanted to see me hit that shot and get tackled by my teammates.
Coaching, as I began to understand, was the dependent variable, a variable which required an immense amount of empathy.
It was an art...and I wanted so badly to become its Van Gogh. I also wanted to make sure that when I coached, I illuminated the best in my ballers and made sure to differentiate my techniques based on the individual. In other words, I wanted to play to each hoopstar's strong suits, highlight his/her talents, and diminish his/her deficits through positive, encouraging messages and constructive criticism.
So I began my journey as a coach, attending clinics, immersing myself in readings, and throwing myself into challenging simulations. Years later, I have helped countless young athletes reach their potential and realize their dreams, as many of them currently play competitively in high school and college.
If you were to ask them how Coach P helped, the majority of them would say something like: "He cares, he understands, and he is real."
Those 3 characteristics are the foundation of my practice, and help me effectively carry out my mission to both teach skills and build confidence.
-As of 2018-
I have pioneered three Basketball Club Organizations:
SoCal Venom Basketball (Thousand Oaks, CA)
Roaring Fork Valley Elite Basketball (Basalt, CO)
South Monterey County Elite Basketball (King City, CA)
Thank you to the people who have gone above and beyond in supporting me on my mission. Without your love, support, and faith, none of this would be possible.
Education and Credentials
In the Spring of 2011, I graduated with Honors, earning my BA in Health Communicaton with a Minor in Psychology from Cal State University Channel Islands.
In December of 2013, I earned my Masters Degree in Education with a teaching credential in English from Pepperdine University.
In 2017, I added a Supplemental Teaching Authorization in Psychology.
Additional Credentials
N.C.C.P.T. – National Council for Certified Personal Trainers
N.A.F.S.N. – National Academy of Fitness Sports Nutrition
Huntington College of Health
Sciences
Where I Played
Basketball has been a huge part of my life since I was around 12 years old. I played in local leagues and went to basketball camp every summer. I played basketball for Hart Middle School, in Pleasanton, California for 3 years. I started my 8th grade year at point guard-that year we won the city championship with a perfect record. During this time I was also playing for a league known as CYO, a highly competitive multi-city league where I made the "A-team" (a group of ten players who were the best in Pleasanton, CA).
Before I entered high school, I also played for the East Bay Bulldogs, an organization of elite basketball players of the east bay where I enhanced my game to a level I had never believed existed. I continued with the Bulldogs as I watched our one team become an entire organization.
I entered high school, playing high school basketball for Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, CA. There, I played Junior Varsity as a Freshman. I later moved to southern California, where I finished my high school basketball career at Agoura High School, averaging 21 points a game, with a near 90% free throw average on the season. I left Agoura High School and attended California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, CA. During my second year at CSUCI, I played a season with our college's club basketball league. We won the Fall 2009 Championship. Our Silver Plaque currently hangs on the Wall of Fame in our CSUCI gym.
Camps, Clinics, and Coaching
I have attended:
Excel Basketball Camp (held on the campus of De La Salle High School-one of the best basketball programs and camp in the nation)
Michael Jordan Camp
Stanford Overnight Basketball Camp
Lavin Basketball Camp (Steve Lavin)
Barry Brother's Camp (John and Brent Barry of the NBA)
I have coached:
East bay Bulldogs, providing both team coaching as well as one-on-one individual clinic coaching.
5-6th Boys for NJB, National Junior Basketball in Westlake, California.
5-6th Girls and 8/9-10th Boys for CYBA (Conejo Youth Basketball Association) in Thousand Oaks, CA
6th Boys for the Basalt Recreation Program in Basalt, Colorado.
5th Boys for Kadima Day School in West Hills.
Kindergarten RFV Elite Future
I also ran an Elite Basketball Camp for all 5th-8th Graders in the Roaring Fork Valley. Players were invited from Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Basalt, and Aspen, Colorado. Coaches were also invited to come and learn my personal techniques, messages, ideas, and views to help them in their quest to become better seasoned youth basketball coaches.
Additional Pertinent Coaching Experience
During my graduate studies at Pepperdine University, I was the Athletic Director and Fitness Coach for Global Education Academy Middle School. Here, I had the chance to coach all sports, but focused primarily on 6-8th grade Volleyball and Basketball.
During the Winter of 2014-2015, I coached in West Hills at Valley Torah, where I had the privilege of working with players aged 6-12.
During the 2014-2015 school year, I coached both the Boys and Girls Varisty Basketball teams at Academia Avance Charter School, where I also taught English full-time.
During the 2015-2016 school year, I coached the Junior Varsity Girls at King city High School to an undefeated season.
During the 2016-2017 school year, I coached the Varsity Girls at King City and helped them reach their first playoff berth and first round victory (at Carmel), two accomplishments that had not been reached since 2012.
