Memphis Elite Surging Forward

 Article from All Star Media Source

When Eric Daniels started (coaching) Team Memphis Elite in 2005, he was simply trying to build a team for his daughter and her friend. Seven years later, Team Memphis Elite is still rolling, and it’s building quite a national reputation.

“I had worked with boys in the summer, but I didn’t move over to girls until my daughter got involved,” said Daniels, who also serves as an assistant coach at St. Benedict’s during the winter season. “That’s how it all got started, and it has morphed into what it is today over the years.”

Today, Team Memphis Elite has 40-50 kids in the program, and 26 alums of the program have gone on to play collegiate basketball.

Daniels’ daughter, Symone, is now a sophomore at Drake. Two notable former Team Memphis Elite players are now freshmen in big time collegiate conferences — Hasina Muhammad at Auburn and Lauren Douglas at Northwestern.

Placing the youngsters in a strong collegiate program is one of the goals for Daniels.
“First, our program tries to give the girls a basketball foundation,” he explained. “From the time that they are playing 10-and-under on up, we want them to learn the fundamentals and grow as individual basketball players. Then, when they are older, we try to secure them an athletic scholarship.

“The most important thing with the older girls is for them to get their academics squared away. Once that is done, we try to fine the best fit for them academically, basketball wise, and also socially.”
This summer, Daniels will be working with a young, but talented group.

“Although we will have a young team this year, I think we will be highly competitive,” he said.