Who We Are:
Our team of professional coaches and educators have been delivering innovative and impact-full learning, sports and leadership/life-skills programs in Durham Region and beyond for more than 20 years.
We hold cross-disciplinary backgrounds and have experience working with diverse groups of students, athletes, schools, organizations and communities. In addition to our work at 360, we are parents, professional educators (working in primary to post-secondary education), researchers, high performance and leadership coaches, athletic trainers, and athletes.
(Image above: Boston Celtic Al Horford speaking with 360 Head Coach Dr. Omar Salim, during an NBA event (Halifax, Nova Scotia) about the importance of a holistic approach to basketball, leadership and life)
Our head coaches hold notable playing and/or work experience at the collegiate levels (NCAA/CIS/OCAA) and/or professional leagues (NBA/FIBA).
What We Believe:
We believe… ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘who’ you learn from is as important as ‘what’ you learn. We take an inclusive, full-circle and evidence-based approach to learning in sports and leadership development.
We believe… a holistic (or 360 degree) approach to sports and leadership development can inspire young people to experience joy, stay healthy and effectively learn how to make prudent decision and unlock their potential within and beyond the game.
We believe… a healthy and thriving learning environment involves guided reflection and the development of character and competence that is consciously designed and nurtured into young people’s lives — and especially modeled by the community of peers, family, coaches and teachers.
(Image above: 360 League & Camp Head Coach Juan Vasquez (Cuban National Team player and retired professional basketball player) sharing with camp participants about his positive experience playing against NBA All-Star and two-time league MVP Steve Nash during international pre-Olympic qualifying tournaments).
We believe…regardless of financial status, young people should have the opportunity to learn, play and develop leadership and life-skills. Our organization is committed to supporting young people and families dealing with financial challenges through our community resources and MDT scholarship program.
We believe… in a home, school, team, workplace, community or planet – every person matters, every person has the potential to learn and lead, and every person holds the power to create an equitable, peaceful and sustainable planet!
Our Coaching & Learning Philosophy:
We employ a full-circle or 360-degree approach to learning, sports and leadership development with the aim of helping young people learn how to make sound choices and to strive toward excellence in character, competence and collaboration – within and beyond the game!
Our comprehensive approach recognizes that young people are best supported when they are not just challenged and supported to learn and develop their minds (IQ – intelligence quotient) and bodies (PQ – physical quotient), but also learn how to reflect and consciously lead with their hearts (EQ – social/emotional quotient) and spirits (SQ – spiritual quotient).
This holistic approach to challenging and nurturing young people’s multi-dimensional capacities is support by today’s contemporary social science research but also acknowledged by the pre-modern traditions, philosophies and religions of the past.
As Aristotle reminded us over 2000 years ago and today’s neuroscience research confirms: “We are what we repeatedly do [and why/who/what we surround ourselves with]. Excellence [in character], then, is not act, but a habit”.
(Image above: former 360 player and Head Coach Cienna Walker (Academic Honour Roll Pickering High School, GTA’s Fab 50 Female Players & University of Minnesota (NCAA) helping young players at 360 basketball camp).
Beyond The Game….
The duration of a well played game is only a few minutes, while the journey for it may take many years of hard work and excellent character. Remember the real value of sport is not in winning or performing in the limelight of applause but by the virtues learned, practiced and lived within and beyond the athletic realm. The applause soon fades away, the statistics forgotten, the trophy is left behind, but the character, friendships and legacy you build are yours forever.
(Image above: former 360 player and now 360 League & Camp Head Coach Drazen Jerkovic (Academic Honour Roll Pine Ridge, Two Time Ontario High School Champion (OFSAA) and Dalhousie Tigers forward (CIS) helping players develop their form shooting at 2023 Summer Basketball Camp).