Our son (Tyler) absolutely loved working out at Rich Stoner’s Elite Basketball Training program. He learned so much about the fundamentals of basketball. He is using the skills that Rich taught him every day to become a better player. My son cannot wait until Rich’s next program!!

Tyler Hoagland

North Brunswick Travel Basketball League

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 From his first steps onto a playground in Middletown to his last steps off of the hardwood floor at CBA Dallas’ journey was not unlike that of most kids paved by a lot of coaching experiences.  Competitive basketball provided abundant learning opportunities at every level with coaches spanning a broad spectrum of enthusiasm, experience, competence, and effectiveness.  He learned from every single one of them.  I’d like to think Dallas tried to make the most out of every minute of practice, every word spoken in a huddle, and every chance to learn from a mistake.   But like every kid the message isn’t always delivered or received the way it we’d like it to and learning from travel, school, and AAU ball all have their biases.  Personally, I think the hours playing playground ball on hard pavement without coaches or referees were the richest experiences.  Camps were a great source of fun, rudimentary drills, and more open and informal competition but they were limited in terms of individual attention and provided a source for perpetuating bad habits.  Even as he got older and the camps seemed to be more specific and stratified he did not seem to thrive in spite of being put in the more advanced and exclusive groups.  Although I knew that some parents had found some success with individualized instruction I did not see enough improvement in their kids to convince me that it was for Dallas. I always thought that he could grow on his own through conventional channels.  It wasn’t until recently that I found out how wrong I was. It was most fortuitous to discover Elite Basketball Training.  For Dallas it was nothing short of life-altering.  Rich Stoner has shown and continues to prove that sport-specific personal training is by far the most powerful method of development for our young student-athletes.  Amazing is the only way I can describe how much could be accomplished in such a short span of time.  The strength and agility program produced dramatic results.  Not only did we see changes that you could see in a mirror we were able to see changes on the court.  Dallas’ reactions and movements were considerably more explosive.  His improved leaping ability one year after knee surgery is only eclipsed by the improved balance and strength that makes the other player bounce off of him.  Rich and Dallas managed to take on strength & conditioning with basketball training concurrently.  This appears to be the most effective approach.  After passing him over at his freshman tryout the coaches at his school could not overlook his improvement in speed and strength. A D3 coach who had made an offer to Dallas before his senior year at CBA went out of his way to commend him when he caught up with him working out at a D1 practice.  Whenever anyone who knew Dallas in high school sees him today he does not hesitate to give Elite Basketball Training the lion’s share of the credit. I often think about how differently things could have gone for Dallas had we found Rich Stoner even 2-3 years sooner.  I cannot overstate his impact on the course of my son’s basketball life.    Dr. Paul P. Ouano

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Ever since my days as a pro player I knew that agility, speed and footwork were very important aspects of the game. Though I was never too agile or fast as a player, through rigorous self- training and hours of repetition, I have improved my footwork and became very good at positioning and moving around in an efficient way. Up until last year, when I first met Coach Rich Stoner, I have never seen such emphasis put on the very same principles that helped me succeed in basketball. The way Coach Stoner preaches footwork, agility, speed and balance and his attention to details, made me want to learn as much as I can from him in this field. Last week I gave a one hour agility and footwork clinic for high school kids in New York City. Inspired by Coach Stoner’s very own drills and combined with a couple of drills I came up with (again, keeping in mind the guidelines and techniques I’ve learned by watching Coach Stoner work), I finished the clinic and received many praises by the players that participated (“Coach, this is the best clinic I’ve ever had!”) and the coaches who were present (“May I borrow your notes?”). I was also evaluated for an assistant coaching position at a local NCAA college team as their head coach was watching the clinic. At the end of the clinic I was hired. I believe in the fact that this method of coaching should be taught more, as players these days count on their athleticism and do not put too much work into improving an important aspect of their game that could be better if they work at it. Agility, quickness, footwork and balance are keys to success in my book. Thanks for stepping out of the box and teaching something new and important in a way that is rarely seen, I am now hired as an NCAA assistant coach. I have Coach Stoner to thank for that.

Ido Singer Former Israeli professional basketball player

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Dave McDaniel Elms College

Dallas Ouanu Villanova University

Stephen Fortuna  Metuchen High School

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Dear Coach Rich,

I have been playing basketball ever since I could dribble a basketball.  Basketball is my number one love.   I have gone to camps all over including many, many years at the Pocono Invitational camps.   While I enjoyed all of those camps none of them compare to the recent two day mini-camp in Red Bank.  You can never learn enough about basketball techniques.  The drills shown to me will no doubt help my game and become invaluable to me.  What I like most was learning new things and then executing them in the 1 on 1 and 2 on 2 games.  I can’t wait to attend another one of your camps. 

Sincerely,

Russell Hawkins (11th grader, Bridgewater-Raritan High School)

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Steven Switzer

Soccer, Basketball, and Track and Field

Metuchen High School

My son Steven had battled a weight problem since he was a young child.We worked with our pediatrician and later a nutritionist to no avail.As Steven approached his teenage years, his weight problem clearly stood in the way of him excelling at sports, which he loved.Rich took an active interest in Steven, and helped us realize that with a proper eating and exercise plan tailored for Steven, he could achieve his goals of obtaining a healthy weight and to become a solid athlete in high school.

For the first time, the emphasis was not on Steven’s weight, but on fueling his body with proper foods based on his activity level and metabolic needs.  Rich provided uswith a detailed plan of what and when Steven should eat, and frequently reviewed the food journal as well as answered any questions we had along the way.  Rich developed an age appropriate exercise plan for Steven to follow at the YMCA in addition to training with him one time per week.

 It did not take long to start to see some dramatic results in many areas.Almost immediately Steven began to drop weight and there were visible changes in his body composition.More importantly, Steven’s confidence level soared.He became more active in every area of his life.I am pleased to say that upon entering High School, Steven achieved the goals that he and Rich laid out at their first meeting.He was at a very normal weight for his age and height and had lost a significant amount body fat.Steven also is competitive on three different high school sports teams.Two years later, Steven has maintained the eating plan and a variation of the exercise routine that Rich created for him.I will forever be grateful to Rich for working with Steven and giving him the tools he will need to remain healthy for a lifetime. 

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Cassie Smith

Battle  Knights Traveling Basketball Team

My 15 year old daughter, Cassie, has worked with Rich since she was 8.  She’s been to his basketball clinics at Edgar School, and worked with him privately to develop her skills.  She always seems pumped up after a session with Rich, and enthusiastic to get to the next one.  Rich is great with the kids; he offers technical insights, and progressive athletic challenges.  He has an uncanny way of motivating an athlete, and always seems to communicate his expectations for hard work and improvement in a manner that wins the respect of his students.

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Ryan Josell

Age 13 Battle Basketball 11U 

Ryan has been training with Elite Basketball since the age of 7.  He first attended Elite Basketball Camp in Metuchen as a third grader and looks forward to camp each summer.  He also trains individually with Coach Rich throughout the year.  Elite Basketball Training has always provided a high level of skill and fitness training, helping Ryan improve both his skills and athleticism.  Rich provides a fun, positive, and energetic environment for the kids to train in.  Regardless of how demanding the workout is, Ryan always comes home with a smile on his face asking, “when can I work out with Coach Rich again?” Rich is a terrific motivator, a great teacher of the game, and has been a great coach and inspiration to Ryan.

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David, Timmy, and Michael Redshaw

Metuchen High School Athletes

My sons have attended Elite Basketball Camps and clinics for the past five years.  They enjoy the full day camp as well as the half-day shooting camp because while both camps provide important fundamental instruction, they are also a lot of fun!  By the end of the week, they always come home with new and/or improved skills that they utilize in their competitive play.  Rich Stoner’s camps are always one of their favorites!

Frankie McGuire

Metuchen High School Basketball

Frankie has been attending Rich Stoner’s basketball camps for several years and has also participated in individual skills training sessions with Rich.  Frankie has benefited greatly from Rich’s expertise in skills training and his innovative approaches to training and coaching.  Rich is a great motivator and uses a clever, relevant and even humorous demeanor to deliver his skills training techniques to his players.  As a result of his improved skills, Frankie is having more fun now playing the game of basketball and has experienced more confidence and satisfaction in his game. Thanks to Rich, Frankie has learned skills and strategies that he can continue to utilize and improve upon while playing in competitive youth basketball leagues.