This will either give you an Ulcer or a Laugh

[The Falcon]

A few of you on this board may have already seen this article in the DMN;
however, it may be of new interest to many, so I am passing it on.

I have never heard of Gulf Shores Academy before but I certainly remember a hot shooting guard at U of H named Ken Williams. Seems like everyone in his family is named Ken (This is my brother Ken and my other brother Ken.)

Anyway, for what it is worth - take a look at this.
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Houston academy offers education in basketball
Charter school nets rep for getting scholarships for kids, lax academics
Dallas Morning News, The (TX)
February 14, 2005
Author: TIM MacMAHON; Staff Writer

The Gulf Shores Academy campus, a converted strip mall in a tough part of Houston, does not have a gym. No trophy case, either. No indications that the charter school is a national basketball powerhouse.

Unless you walk into the right classroom. That would be the one the basketball team occupies when it isn't on one of the 11 out-of-state trips Gulf Shores scheduled this season. Fifteen boys - ranging in classification from a freshman to several fifth-year seniors and in height from 5-10 to 6-11 - receive individual instruction from one teacher in this room. The curriculum focuses on preparing them for the TAKS and SAT, standardized tests required to graduate from high school and to enroll in a Division I college.

But their foremost focus is on playing ball, something they do quite well. Four players have signed with Division I schools, and several others have that kind of potential. The recruiting Web site Rivals hoops.com ranks 6-8 wing Gerald Green as the No. 1 senior in the nation and point guard Javon Adams No. 19. Gulf Shores will play South Oak Cliff in The Dallas Morning News Classic at 4 p.m. Saturday at Reunion Arena.

"We could probably beat the Rockets," said coach Ken "Juice" Williams, 46, a trash-talking former University of Houston standout.

Gulf Shores does not compete in the University Interscholastic League or any other sanctioned league, meaning Mr. Williams has the authority to run his program free from the regulations that most high school programs must follow. Critics of the program question whether Gulf Shores players sacrifice academic growth for the sake of basketball.

Mr. Williams, sitting in his closet-size office, offers a simple explanation for how he assembled such an impressive collection of basketball talent.

"Everybody wants to play for me," he said with a smile, revealing a front tooth with a star cut out of the gold cap. That's why parents and Amateur Athletic Union coaches are constantly calling or approaching him, hoping he'll make room for their kids on his squad. Opposing players often give Mr. Williams their phone numbers while shaking his hand after scrimmages and games.

Mr. Williams, who grew up in a Houston housing project and has long been a fixture on the city's AAU scene, is always willing to give a kid a chance. As long as the kid can play.

Mr. Adams, known as "Winky," was discouraged when he was being ignored by college recruiters as a junior at Houston Worthing. Mr. Williams, when contacted by Mr. Adams' mother, guaranteed Mr. Adams a Division I scholarship if he played for Gulf Shores.

Deal sealed. Mr. Adams transferred and was reclassified as a sophomore. He signed a national letter of intent with Nevada-Las Vegas in November.

"When I came in, I was looking at all junior colleges - just somewhere to go," said Mr. Adams, who is averaging 28 points and 10 assists per game. "The next thing I knew, people are ranking me, and reporters are calling me."

Mr. Green butted heads with his coach at Houston Dobie and struggled to remain academically eligible for three seasons before his AAU coach, Lawrence Willis, intervened.

"Juice, I've got a pro for you," Mr. Williams recalled Mr. Willis telling him. Mr. Green transferred to Gulf Shores the next week and was reclassified as a sophomore. "It was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life," said Mr. Green, who averages 33 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. "I don't know where I'd be if I stayed at my other school."

Mr. Green has been projected as a lottery pick in this year's NBA draft. But he said he plans to play at Oklahoma State, the school he signed with in November.

Dobie coach Scott Talbert said he'd be pleasantly surprised if Mr. Green survives academically at Oklahoma State. He remembers Mr. Green as a talented player but a poor student. That Mr. Green became an honors student at Gulf Shores raises suspicion from Mr. Talbert.

"He went to Gulf Shores because the work's easier there, so his grades will look better," Mr. Talbert said. "All they do is play basketball."

Building a basketball powerhouse wasn't Linda Johnson's intention when she founded Gulf Shores in 1994. Ms. Johnson had worked 19 years with at-risk children in the Houston school district. She opened Gulf Shores as a private school and set up a partnership with HISD to work as a transitional campus for troubled students.

Gulf Shores became an independent charter school, funded by the Texas Education Agency, five years later. It has 1,047 students.

Only 20 percent of Gulf Shores' students passed all TAKS tests last year, less than a third of the state average. Eight percent of the school's seniors in 2003 took the SAT. They had an average score of 777, well below the state average.

Ms. Johnson decided to begin an athletic department soon after the school opened to give the campus a more traditional feel.

The basketball program was in its infancy when Ms. Johnson had a chance meeting with Mr. Williams, who was working as an athletic director at a private middle school and running a basketball scouting service as a hobby. Ms. Johnson heard Mr. Williams boasting about his basketball knowledge and approached him about coaching at Gulf Shores.

College, not crime

Mr. Williams, who accepted the job after Ms. Johnson persisted for almost a year, said he had to plead with his players to stop committing crimes and start thinking about college.

Several players listened, and Gulf Shores started winning. Mr. Williams helped most of his players land scholarships, primarily to junior colleges and Division II and NAIA schools.

"I ... [have] helped a lot of kids since I've been here," Mr. Williams said. "That's the greatest feeling in the world."

Gulf Shores now gets players because of Mr. Williams' reputation for helping players get scholarships. Two examples are shooting guard Terrell Henry and power forward Anthony "Mann" Vereen. Both transferred to Gulf Shores last year after completing their eligibility at Pearland. They were on track to graduate on time but were reclassified as juniors.

"I was a little apprehensive," Mr. Vereen said. "People said it was a school for bad kids. But that's far from the truth."

Academics had nothing to do with the transfers. Mr. Henry and Mr. Vereen weren't satisfied with the scholarship offers they received and wanted more time to showcase their games to recruiters. They signed with UT-Arlington after playing on a summer AAU team with other Gulf Shores starters. Mr. Williams said schools in major conferences have since expressed interest in both players.

It's common for players to take a post-graduate year at prep schools on the East Coast. Mr. Henry and Mr. Vereen essentially found a way to do the same thing close to their homes.

"The kids are taking advantage of the system," Pearland coach Stephen Buckelew said. "I don't like it. I don't think it's right. I don't think it's fair for a kid to be reclassified."

Said Ms. Johnson: "I won't deny the children a chance to come into Gulf Shores. I won't deny them a chance to play ball."

Ms. Johnson responded to a question about the possibility of joining the UIL - an option for charter schools - with a puzzled look. "What's that?" she said. Mr. Williams, listening in on the conversation, just shook his head.

The Gulf Shores basketball program, as it is currently operating, wouldn't work in the UIL. All five starters would be ineligible because they are fifth-year seniors. Most transfers would have to wait a year before playing varsity. And Mr. Williams wouldn't have the scheduling freedom he has now.

Gulf Shores typically practices three times a week, usually renting a gym at a nearby church for $150 per session. It's a relaxed atmosphere, with Mr. Williams often sitting on the sideline with his cellphone to his ear. He'll challenge his players to post-practice shooting sessions, knocking down shots with a smooth stroke while standing five feet out of bounds.

'The greatest coach'

"Juice's probably the greatest coach on earth," Mr. Henry said. "I never had a coach like him. He's like one of us."

The team often travels to a tournament on Thursdays, accompanied by teacher Tiffany Taylor. The top tournaments cover travel expenses. Gulf Shores relies on sponsors - including Ms. Johnson and many of the people who finance Mr. Williams' AAU teams - to cover the other costs.

Mr. Williams' family makes as many of the trips as possible. One son, Ken, 27, is an assistant coach/statistician. His youngest son, also named Ken, is a 10-year-old budding star.

Mr. Williams is looking forward to coaching his youngest son at Gulf Shores. The plan is to pair him in the backcourt with Juice's grandson, an 11-year-old also named Ken.

There's nothing conventional about the Gulf Shores basketball program, and that won't change soon.

E-mail [email protected]

Edition: SECOND
Section: NEWS
Page: 1A
Dateline: HOUSTON

Copyright 2005 The Dallas Morning News

[The Falcon]

Juice, I've got a pro for you," Mr. Williams recalled Mr. Willis telling him. Mr. Green transferred to Gulf Shores the next week and was reclassified as a sophomore. "It was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life," said Mr. Green, who averages 33 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. "I don't know where I'd be if I stayed at my other school."

Mr. Green has been projected as a lottery pick in this year's NBA draft. But he said he plans to play at Oklahoma State, the school he signed with in November.

Dobie coach Scott Talbert said he'd be pleasantly surprised if Mr. Green survives academically at Oklahoma State. He remembers Mr. Green as a talented player but a poor student. That Mr. Green became an honors student at Gulf Shores raises suspicion from Mr. Talbert.

"He went to Gulf Shores because the work's easier there, so his grades will look better," Mr. Talbert said. "All they do is play basketball."

Building a basketball powerhouse wasn't Linda Johnson's intention when she founded Gulf Shores in 1994. Ms. Johnson had worked 19 years with at-risk children in the Houston school district. She opened Gulf Shores as a private school and set up a partnership with HISD to work as a transitional campus for troubled students.

Gulf Shores became an independent charter school, funded by the Texas Education Agency, five years later. It has 1,047 students.

Only 20 percent of Gulf Shores' students passed all TAKS tests last year, less than a third of the state average. Eight percent of the school's seniors in 2003 took the SAT. They had an average score of 777, well below the state average.

Ms. Johnson decided to begin an athletic department soon after the school opened to give the campus a more traditional feel.

The basketball program was in its infancy when Ms. Johnson had a chance meeting with Mr. Williams, who was working as an athletic director at a private middle school and running a basketball scouting service as a hobby. Ms. Johnson heard Mr. Williams boasting about his basketball knowledge and approached him about coaching at Gulf Shores.

College, not crime

Mr. Williams, who accepted the job after Ms. Johnson persisted for almost a year, said he had to plead with his players to stop committing crimes and start thinking about college.

Several players listened, and Gulf Shores started winning. Mr. Williams helped most of his players land scholarships, primarily to junior colleges and Division II and NAIA schools.

"I ... [have] helped a lot of kids since I've been here," Mr. Williams said. "That's the greatest feeling in the world."

Gulf Shores now gets players because of Mr. Williams' reputation for helping players get scholarships. Two examples are shooting guard Terrell Henry and power forward Anthony "Mann" Vereen. Both transferred to Gulf Shores last year after completing their eligibility at Pearland. They were on track to graduate on time but were reclassified as juniors.

"I was a little apprehensive," Mr. Vereen said. "People said it was a school for bad kids. But that's far from the truth."

Academics had nothing to do with the transfers. Mr. Henry and Mr. Vereen weren't satisfied with the scholarship offers they received and wanted more time to showcase their games to recruiters. They signed with UT-Arlington after playing on a summer AAU team with other Gulf Shores starters. Mr. Williams said schools in major conferences have since expressed interest in both players.

It's common for players to take a post-graduate year at prep schools on the East Coast. Mr. Henry and Mr. Vereen essentially found a way to do the same thing close to their homes.

"The kids are taking advantage of the system," Pearland coach Stephen Buckelew said. "I don't like it. I don't think it's right. I don't think it's fair for a kid to be reclassified."

Said Ms. Johnson: "I won't deny the children a chance to come into Gulf Shores. I won't deny them a chance to play ball."

Ms. Johnson responded to a question about the possibility of joining the UIL - an option for charter schools - with a puzzled look. "What's that?" she said. Mr. Williams, listening in on the conversation, just shook his head.

The Gulf Shores basketball program, as it is currently operating, wouldn't work in the UIL. All five starters would be ineligible because they are fifth-year seniors. Most transfers would have to wait a year before playing varsity. And Mr. Williams wouldn't have the scheduling freedom he has now.

Gulf Shores typically practices three times a week, usually renting a gym at a nearby church for $150 per session. It's a relaxed atmosphere, with Mr. Williams often sitting on the sideline with his cellphone to his ear. He'll challenge his players to post-practice shooting sessions, knocking down shots with a smooth stroke while standing five feet out of bounds.

'The greatest coach'

"Juice's probably the greatest coach on earth," Mr. Henry said. "I never had a coach like him. He's like one of us."

The team often travels to a tournament on Thursdays, accompanied by teacher Tiffany Taylor. The top tournaments cover travel expenses. Gulf Shores relies on sponsors - including Ms. Johnson and many of the people who finance Mr. Williams' AAU teams - to cover the other costs.

Mr. Williams' family makes as many of the trips as possible. One son, Ken, 27, is an assistant coach/statistician. His youngest son, also named Ken, is a 10-year-old budding star.

Mr. Williams is looking forward to coaching his youngest son at Gulf Shores. The plan is to pair him in the backcourt with Juice's grandson, an 11-year-old also named Ken.

There's nothing conventional about the Gulf Shores basketball program, and that won't change soon.

E-mail [email protected]

[The Falcon]

Ms. Johnson responded to a question about the possibility of joining the UIL - an option for charter schools - with a puzzled look. "What's that?" she said. Mr. Williams, listening in on the conversation, just shook his head.

The Gulf Shores basketball program, as it is currently operating, wouldn't work in the UIL. All five starters would be ineligible because they are fifth-year seniors. Most transfers would have to wait a year before playing varsity. And Mr. Williams wouldn't have the scheduling freedom he has now.

Gulf Shores typically practices three times a week, usually renting a gym at a nearby church for $150 per session. It's a relaxed atmosphere, with Mr. Williams often sitting on the sideline with his cellphone to his ear. He'll challenge his players to post-practice shooting sessions, knocking down shots with a smooth stroke while standing five feet out of bounds.

'The greatest coach'

"Juice's probably the greatest coach on earth," Mr. Henry said. "I never had a coach like him. He's like one of us."

The team often travels to a tournament on Thursdays, accompanied by teacher Tiffany Taylor. The top tournaments cover travel expenses. Gulf Shores relies on sponsors - including Ms. Johnson and many of the people who finance Mr. Williams' AAU teams - to cover the other costs.

Mr. Williams' family makes as many of the trips as possible. One son, Ken, 27, is an assistant coach/statistician. His youngest son, also named Ken, is a 10-year-old budding star.

Mr. Williams is looking forward to coaching his youngest son at Gulf Shores. The plan is to pair him in the backcourt with Juice's grandson, an 11-year-old also named Ken.

There's nothing conventional about the Gulf Shores basketball program, and that won't change soon.

E-mail [email protected]

[Hoop Fan]

The landscape has become pretty ruthless, everybody is trying to get a leg up.

The reclassification thing is fine if these kids are under 19 like the high schoolers they play against. Its no different really than the blatant holdbacks that occur everywhere from Highland Park to Plano at the younger ages.