Ballers In The Bay

"Pressure makes diamonds." 💎 That’s the core philosophy driving one of Hillsborough County's most consistent high school basketball programs.

In this episode of Beyond the Sideline presented by Ballers in the Bay, host Tj sits down with Durant High School’s dynamic coaching duo, Constance and Al Mitchell. Together for 12 seasons with over 150 wins under their belt, Coaches Mitchell break down how they built a culture of relentless defense, high-octane conditioning, and unbreakable composure under fire.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The "Tag Team" Approach: How two co-coaches share the mic and lead as one.
• Plant City Roots: Their journey from local roots to building a powerhouse at Durant.
• The Durant Blueprint: Why relentless full-court pressure and extreme conditioning are non-negotiable.
• Player Development: How they turn raw middle school talent into confident, battle-tested high school athletes.

Whether you're a player, coach, or fan of Tampa Bay high school hoops, this conversation is packed with wisdom, heart, and basketball grit.

On this episode of Ballers In The Bay, we spotlight Coach Maurice Ringo — the head coach shaping Morgan High School’s brand‑new girls basketball program. From building a culture of accountability and unity to navigating the challenges of a first‑year roster, Ringo shares how he’s turning a young team into a tough, fast, and disciplined group with something to prove.

He talks about the identity he’s establishing, the misconceptions he’s working to erase, and the values driving Morgan’s rise — including “next man up,” family, and faith. Coach Ringo also reflects on the lessons learned from Year 1 and the vision fueling Year 2 as the Mustangs continue to grow.

A must‑listen episode for anyone following the rise of Morgan Girls Basketball.

On this episode of Ballers In The Bay, we spotlight Coach Passion Hodge — the head coach leading the rise of Freedom High School Girls Basketball.

A Lake Wales alum (2019), former Tallahassee Community College hooper (2021), and Florida State University graduate in Business Management (2023), Coach Hodge brings a sharp blend of experience, discipline, and modern leadership to the Patriots program.

We dive into her journey into basketball, what inspired her to coach, and the mission she embraced when she took over at Freedom. Coach Hodge breaks down the misconceptions she’s determined to erase, the culture she’s building, and the non‑negotiables that define her program. She also shares how Freedom’s run to the district championship game in Year 2 reshaped expectations heading into Year 3, how she structures practices, and how she supports athletes pursuing college opportunities.

If you want an inside look at a coach rebuilding a program with purpose, identity, and long‑term vision, this episode is your front‑row seat.

This week on Ballers In The Bay, I sit down with Coach Amber Jennings — former 1,500‑point Tampa Bay standout and the founder of Tampa Ignite Girls Basketball.

Coach Jennings breaks down her journey from East Lake High School and Palm Harbor University to college hoops, the philosophy behind her high‑accountability coaching style, and the myths she’s determined to erase in AAU basketball.

We talk player development, confidence, culture, recruitment, and the traits college coaches actually care about. If you want to understand what makes Tampa Ignite different, this episode is your front‑row seat.

Our new season of Beyond The Sideline kicks off with Kaela Crowell, the Head Coach of the East Bay High School Girl Basketball program. Coach K sits down with podcast host Tj Thompson to give details about herself and the East Bay girls basketball program.

Follow Coach K @kaelatiara_ and her Lady Indians program on Instagram @eastbaylbb and

On this episode of Beyond The Sideline I get the pleasure of interviewing Marika Starks the Varsity Head Coach of the Sumner Stingrays Girl's Basketball team. Marika Stark will be entering her 5th year as the leader of the Lady Stingrays, coming off of her first 20-win season (21-6) and the first district championship/playoff appearance in school history. In this episode, Coach Starks breaks down what it means to Coach at Sumner High School, the values of her program and much more!

On this episode of Beyond The Sideline I have the pleasure of interviewing the Bloomingdale Bulls Girl's Basketball Head Coach Joel Bower. Coach Bower is coming off of his most successful season with the Lady Bulls finishing the year with a 30-1 record and state championship appreance. In this episode Coach Bower will give us information about his coaching philosophy, the work ethic of his bulls and much more!

On this episode of “Beyond The Sideline” I get the pleasure of interviewing Head Football Coach Christian Yockey of the Newsome Wolves. Coach Christian Yockey is entering his 6th season as the Head Coach of the Newsome Wolves where he has accumulated a 35-19 record, winning coach of the year award in Class 8A FACA District 15, and the District Championship in 2022.

In this episode, we discuss Coach Yockey’s personal background, his thoughts on what has led to the consistency of the Newsome Wolves football program, the mindset of what it takes to be a Newsome Wolf, and much more.

In this episode of "Beyond The Sideline" I get the pleasure of interviewing Tampa Catholic Head Football Coach Jeris McIntyre. Coach Jeris McIntyre is going into his sixth season as the Head Football Coach at Tampa Catholic where he has achieved a 39-19 record, one district championship 2022-23, and two playoff appearances.

Coach Jeris McIntyre is a Tampa native and was a multi-sport athlete for the Tampa Catholic Crusaders before graduating in 1999. Coach Jeris was selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft after a phenomenal career as a wide receiver at the University of Auburn.

In this episode Coach Jeris McIntyre will elaborate on what inspired him to play sports, how he got into coaching, his experience as a professional athlete, the philosophy of what it takes to be a Tampa Catholic Crusader and much more.

On this episode of "Beyond The Sideline" I get the pleasure of interviewing Head Football Coach KB Belton of the Lennard Longhorns. Coach KB Belton is going into his first year as the new Head Coach of the Lennard Longhorns. In this episode, we discuss Coach Belton's personal background, his thoughts on what it will take to implement his imprint on the Longhorn program, his vision for the upcoming season, and much more.