In this episode of the JAMODI Podcast, Coach Matt Sayman sits down with Coach Cornelius Mitchell to talk about the changing landscape of high school basketball and how public school coaches can still build programs that matter. 🏀
Coach Mitchell opens up about:
Losing multiple starters to prep and private schools
Competing with half-day online schedules, Vegas tournaments, and year-round exposure
Balancing the dreams of individual players with the needs of the team
Why relationships and genuine care are more powerful than any “sales pitch”
You’ll hear powerful stories about:
Building a roster… and then watching key players transfer out
The reality of grassroots/AAU, shoe-circuit programs, and how parents see them
A 6'9" rim-protector who wanted to be a 3-point shooter – and how investing in his dreams changed everything
Listening to seniors after a playoff loss and discovering they were simply “tired of basketball”
Changing practice structure (shorter, smarter, more intentional) so kids still love the game in February and March
Who This Episode Is For
• High school basketball coaches navigating transfers and prep-school pressure • Middle school and youth coaches trying to build long-term relationships with players • Athletic directors looking for ways to support and retain quality coaches and programs • Grassroots/AAU coaches who want to better partner with high school coaches • Parents of players trying to understand the differences between public, private, prep, and grassroots routes
Coaching Gems from Coach Cornelius Mitchell
• “We’ve got to embrace the change. Basketball doesn’t stay the same. High school basketball doesn’t stay the same.” • “Our model still works. We just have to learn how to sell our model.” • “The dreams of our players have to become the dreams of ours.” • “I don’t want to be the king. It’s not my program. It’s our program.” • “Be careful who you ignore. They might be the ones you need next year.”
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