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Wolverine Basketball Academy
ABOUT
WOLVERINE BASKETBALL ACADEMY LLC
Melick Russell has a passion for basketball. This passion had him create the Wolverine Basketball Academy. He founded this Program to help girls gain the necessary skills to master the game of basketball.
He wants the girls to be skilled-oriented and CONFIDENT!
In his program he focuses on growth, and building the program slow and steady. He has been encouraged by the talent he’s seen and worked with. In 2018, his junior NBA team, (the only one in South Dakota), took third place at the 10-state Central Region tournament in Kansas City.
His teams have also won various tournaments, including Willie Mac 2018 (Sioux Falls SD) and Kearney Blowout 2018 (Kearney NE). His teams have also placed in the Top 3 of various tournaments around the country! These include the Jr NBA (Lawrence KS) in 2018, Battle for the Arch (St. Louis MO) and The Reebok World Championships (Kansas City MO) in 2019!
In 2020 the Wolverines went 3 for 3 in having ALL 3 senior girls being heavily recruited from across the country, to be being offered by numerous college's! A 100% success rate!
Coach Russell believes in QUALITY over Quantity, and because he only has 2 teams of differing ages he is able to focus on the skills, education and basketball IQ of EACH individual girl and create a plan that works for that specific girl.
This includes: personal training, team training, making highlight videos, and help with college recruiting.
"I don't talk about having 20 plus AAU teams that i can not personally manage. I have ONE Varsity team. My program is just as good and in a lot of cases better, and they aren't losing quality due to a much less expensive program. I want our girl's to be taken seriously and judged on their merits, not just lumped into they're just another AAU."
Ultimately, he wants girls to see college basketball scholarships as a reality.
“I have a network that includes numerous college coaches,” he said. “They are paying attention to the talent I work with.”
The
One Parent is quoted as saying, “He will help you improve, and he’s always positive with his players.”
About
Basketball and Workout.
MEET THE COACH





MELICK RUSSELL
Head Coach
Melick Russell is NCAA-certified, NFHS certified (AIC and NIC), NYSCA-certified and AAU certified, and he is one of five USA Gold-certified coaches in South Dakota.
In 2020 Coach Russell became the FIRST and only AAU Travel coach to be admitted into the WBCA (Women's Basketball Coaches Association), thereby opening the door for other travel coaches to be a part of that great organization.
Coach is also President of Scouting Operations for the state South Dakota through US Basketball Games.
Instructors
CONTACT
Getting Here:
Headquartered in Mitchell, SD
Our MailingAddress:
PO Box 1153
Mitchell SD 57301
Phone:
605-999-0866
Contact
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