GEICO NATIONALS
Ian Monje, April 27, 2022
CHANDLER, Ariz., - For any and everyone who is pursuing a future athletic playing career, winning is the number one priority. Winning not only gives players and coaches morale boosts, but wins help grow the program and the players’ individual brands.
The AZ Compass Prep basketball program does everything in their power to win and grow the program. Not only do the coaches have big aspirations to win championships, the coaches also do their best to help get their players into college. The coaches put their players in the best position possible to pursue a basketball playing career.
Griffin Greenberg, the head of media and the play-by-play announcer for AZ Compass Prep, plays an important role with the team, and he recognizes his importance to the team.
“They want me to stay in touch with the players so they know we’re creating content, because it’s also about like, the player pushing their name out there,” Greenberg said.
The program recognizes the importance of getting players’ names out there, which is why the program has their eyes set on winning Geico Nationals. Zyzick Owens, the athletic director and VP of operations for the AZ Compass Prep national basketball team, describes Geico Nationals as their main goal.
“We have to capture a national championship,” Owens said.
It is a goal that Owens and Ed Gipson had in mind ever since they joined AZ Compass Prep. Gipson joined the coaching staff after spending a year at Chandler High School. Ever since he joined AZ Compass Prep, he and the staff accomplished many goals, including a sponsorship with Nike, coaching top 50 prospects and championships, which includes the Grind Session Championship in 2021.
“We actually made a list, me and (Coach Pete Kaffey)...made the list of things that I wanted to be able to play in… and outside of winning Geico, we’ve done everything,” Coach Gipson said.
Gipson is a very passionate coach who wants to win and develop the players. He is a straight up coach who will be honest with his players and will push the players to the best of their abilities during practice.
“(My former coaches) were brutally honest… They told me the truth. They never sugar coated it… that’s one thing I try to do with our guys,” Gipson said.
In order to create a team good enough to win Geico Nationals, team chemistry needs to be really good, and that is something that AZ Compass Prep also takes pride in. The team attends functions together to build team chemistry, such as community service, bowling and hanging out at a coaches house.
The team functions and playing basketball together had a great impact on the play on the court. The bond between the players and the coaches has grown so much, and Gipson and the team value that and their faith in God.
“We always try to make sure we put God first in everything we do… I think that’s been key in helping us,” Gipson said.
During Geico Nationals this year, the AZ Compass Prep national basketball team lost in the quarterfinals to Montverde Academy, who became the eventual champions. The Dragons will continue to work hard and will continue to manifest and play until they achieve their goal of winning the Geico National Championship.