Eric Hampford:
Future150 GM / Senior National Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball.
Houston, TX (Future150) -- This article was written by staff writer Ari Rosenfeld (@realA_rosenfeld).
Contrary to public perception, not all AAU programs are geared towards producing high-major players or securing shoe-company sponsorships. Just ask Willie Stephens, program director of Houston-based organization Texas Inferno Elite.
Texas Inferno Elite has been serving young people in the Houston area for the last 10 years, making a point to provide young people an opportunity to play and get exposure, regardless of whether or not they have elite skill levels.
“We’re giving every child an opportunity. We’re not like the all-star teams they have, where you have to be the #1 or #2 player to join my organization,” Stevens said. “We give you an opportunity because we want you to be the hardest working player in our organization. We know hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work.”
Prior to launching his organization, Stephens gained vast coaching experience around the globe, coaching both basketball and soccer in England, at Great Lakes Naval Station, at a Marine station in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and in Alaska.
“I have a deep background and love for helping the underdogs,” he said. “I have a deep background in working with young people and a deep background and passion to see them succeed, to be in the position of authority so they can make great decisions for this nation.”
Texas Inferno Elite features nine boys teams, ranging from 3rd-12th grade, as well as girls teams at the 7th and 11th/12th grade levels. Stephens has a large crops of head coaches and assistant coaches that all volunteer their time for the sake of helping the program’s student-athletes.
“When I look at a lot of [the coaches], I smile, because they give of themselves,” he said. “No pay, they could spend time with their families, they could train and coach their own kids, but they have a passion as strong as I have a passion.
“We support each other for the love of those kids”
Texas Inferno Elite has attended six Future150 events since 2014, and the relationship between the two has been building ever since.
Nothing better exemplifies the relationship between Texas Inferno Elite and Future150 than the story of Aziz Fadika. A 6’7” power forward, Fadika began playing basketball just two and a half years ago upon moving from the Ivory Coast, and was discovered last year at Future150’s Memorial Day Classic.
“Future150 found him. They were the ones who instilled the faith when that young man’s head was down. People had told him in great authority that he would never be a college player. He would never grow up, he would never be signed,” Stevens said. “When Future150 came to town and they gave him a great evaluation on where he’s at, the head lifted up.”
Just last month, Fadika signed to continue his basketball career at John Wood Community College in Quincy, Illinois and will have plenty of NCAA schools tracking him in the next couple years.
“I didn’t go to any other camps, I didn’t go to any other evaluations,” Stevens said, “but when Future150 comes, we’re there. My organization is there.”
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