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Staff Members
At Collegiate Prep, we understand that our product is adding value to each player that trains under our tutelage. Therefore, as the interest in our programming has grown we are committed to practicing "responsible growth". Simply stated, we will only grow with the proven success of the staff that joins our family.
From the beginning, Coach Tucker has been committed to only inviting quality individuals who are proven teachers of the game possessing excellent communication skills coupled with a youthful enthusiasm. Our staff is comprised of former college coaches and players as well as highly successful youth coaches that have a proven record of success. Yes, it is nice to have a solid resume of experience, but at the end of the day the parents of our students are more concerned about the job we are doing with their child and less impressed with what our staff accomplished in the past.
Finally, with the addition of our relationships built with local recreation departments and church programs it has provided an opportunity to have our gifted college and high school students to actually become teachers. There is something very powerful for a current youth player to have such close access and gain the insight of a person they hope to become.
As an added protection to our families we have all our staff members perform criminal background checks and get drug tested. This is just another way to prove that we are more committed to operating in a highly professional manner than the competition.
Bert Tucker - President and Head Coach
Careo Wells - Individualized Instruction Coordinator & Site Director
GA Staff:
Careo Wells: Coach Wells was an over achieving self made player who earned a scholarship at Central Washington. Coach Wells has worked with a national basketball camp company before coming to Collegiate Prep. Over the last 4 years Coach Wells has done a tremendous job and built a great level of trust from both players and their parents. She has continually taken on a greater role within the company. Currently Coach Wells directs some of our locations for our STL, FTL and summer camps including the City of Roswell Recreation and Parks Department. Coach Wells has Coordinated and is the primary trainer for our Individualized Instruction program since 2010. She has continually raised the level of her students and inspired them to achieve their goals. She has a unique talent to be demanding with the HS level talented player and the patience and compassion to develop the middle school and elementary level player.
Dennis Walsh: Coach Walsh possesses a wealth of basketball knowledge and has played and coached at the highest levels of not only amateur, but professional basketball. Coach Walsh hails from NY City and played collegiately at Providence College of the Big East Conference. He played professionally overseas as well as toured for 5 years with the Harlem Globetrotters. Later in his career he coached Division I for 17 years at various schools including Northeastern University, Lamar and Monmouth. Coach Walsh compliments his knowledge of the game with an unmatched amount of patience.
Brian Whitmer: Coach Whitmer is formerly the 8th grade coach at Otwell Middle School in Cumming, GA. In 2007, he led his team to a surprising County Championship with hard nosed team defense and an extremely unselfish passing game style offense. He followed that up with a second County Championship with an entirely new crop of players in 2008. Coach Whitmer possesses a fiery personality, but balances that with a degree in special education. He is knowledgeable, dedicated and a great motivator. The players who work with and play for him are improved rather quickly due to his infectious work ethic and enthusiasm.
Greg Martin: Coach Martin is currently the varsity boy's assistant at West Hall HS and formerly 5-A Duluth High School. He worked along side Head Coach Jonathan Hemingway who worked with Collegiate Prep back in 2006. Coach Martin is a student of the game with an inquisitive nature regarding strategy as well as player tendencies. He possesses a tremendous internal drive to be successful and inspires the players under his tutelage to do the same. During most sessions on the court it is a challenge for the players to "out sweat" Coach Martin. He is also a seasoned summer camp coach at UGA, Lipscomb, GA Tech.
Megan Darrah: Megan was a star athlete at Newnan, GA HS and was rewarded with an athletic scholarship at UGA playing for Coach Andy Landers. Coach Darrah completed her eligibility as a captain and several personal accolades. She then continued her playing career at the professional level for a year in Spain. Currently she serves on the staff at GA State and is a rising star in the coaching community. Coach Darrah is extremely competitive and understands the value as well as the results from old fashioned hard work.
Derek Thomas: Coach Thomas has quickly earned a very good reputation at CPBA and expanded his responsibilities. Coach Thomas played for the varsity at Milton HS for 3 years under 3 different head coaches. Derek was a relentless defender, with outstanding quickness and an uncanny ability to distribute the ball. He ended his playing career as a captain of his team with several runs deep into the state tournament. At CPBA, Coach Thomas has developed a reputation of being highly motivating with a solid youthful attitude. He has done an excellent job of mentoring many of the current high school players in the program from his ability to relate as a former CPBA player himself.
Brandon Sosebee: Coach Sosebee played at CPBA for 4 years while attending Creekview HS. Coach Sosebee earned a full music scholarship at Reinhardt College as the most accomplished trombone player in the state of GA. He actually earned an entire year of college academic credit during his senior year at Creekview. He is extremely patient and detailed oriented which allows for many of our younger players to retain new concepts and techniques.
Dakota Ward: Coach Ward is a former CPBA player who first attended as freshman at West Forsyth HS. His athletic ability coupled with solid ball skills allowed him to make varsity as a sophomore. Over his HS academic career Coach Ward to accelerated and individual courses which led to him successfully graduating from high school in just 3 years. Since June of 2011, Coach Ward has been a camp coach, trainer and now a facility coordinator for a local church league that Coach Tucker directs. He is continuing his college education while excelling at CPBA.