ADMINISTRATION
NME maintains a "Board of Advisors" which provides assistance with long-term decision making and the administration of the program. Those Advisors as of the beginning of the 2023 Travel Basketball season are: Mike Forcade, Monte Eritt, James Earnest and the administrative staff listed on this page.
STEVE RODRIGUEZ (Click on any image below to open in a larger view)
Program Director
Coach Rodriguez is a long-time Attorney in Atlanta, GA who has served as both a travel and high school basketball coach beginning in 1994. In 6 years as a varsity high school head coach in Florida, his teams amassed a 158-53 record (.748) winning 3 District Championships, two sectional finals appearances, and a State Final Four. His travel basketball experience includes teams from the 3rd through 11th grade, including Nike-funded and Nike travel teams in the 16U and 17U age division. His time with Nike included teams with players such as Denis Clemente (Kansas State) and Jose Juan Barea (Northeastern, NBA Dallas Mavericks). Overall, his HS and 17U travel teams have produced 41 college signees to include 25 at the Division I level.
Over 29 years of coaching, he has accrued 893 wins, 85 tournament titles, and a .732 winning percentage at the conclusion of the 2024 travel basketball season.
Coach R and Nike Miami Tropics
Coach R with former Florida Gator and NBA Head Coach Billy Donovan.
Coach R with NAIA College Head Coach Kevin Easley.
Coach R and former USC star and Nike Executive Don Crenshaw at Nike HQ
Coach R and Division 1 Assistant Coach Michael Cotton
At Camp with ESPN's Recruiting Analyst Paul Biancardi
Coach R on Fox Sports South - State Final Four
"Steve Rodriguez and staff run a first class program. They care about ALL of their players."
- ESPN College Basketball Analyst Paul Biancardi via Twitter
"Coach Rod, thanks for bringing your team. They were, as always, well prepared and well-disciplined. You get the most out of your guys and it is always great to see......."
- Donnie Jones, Head Coach at Stetson University
"You've got some good one's, can't wait to see them play this year."
- Tubby Smith, Longtime Division I head coach including his time as a national champion Coach with the Kentucky Wildcats
"I have told you this before, your teams work ethic and listening skills are simply outstanding. I love being at your practices. To see young people who worked hard and listened the way your team did was an inspiration to me. These players are going to gain more from this experience with you than they know."
- Tim Maloney, former DI Assistant Coach at Iona, Baylor, and others
Coach R with State Senator Jason Anavitarte and Georgia Tech Head Coach Josh Pastner.
Co-Director
Coach Ford has served as one of the most successful Head Coaches and program managers in North Metro Elite history, dating back to his early arrival in 2012. He is the consummate professional and basketball guru - trainer, coach, advisor, management. When not coaching basketball and helping mentor young kids, he is a long-time Senior Executive with GLOCK, Inc.
Co-Director (3rd-8th Grade)
Coach Brookshire grew up in Dalton, Georgia where he played baseball, basketball, and football and attended North West Whitfield High School. He has been in the Metro Atlanta area for 12 years. He has been coaching youth sports for the past 14 years and has been Coaching basketball for the last 9. He has been a coach in the North Paulding High School feeder system for 5 seasons and been a part of the North Metro Elite program for 10. He has a true passion for Athletics and enjoys working with kids to help them become not only better athletes but better people. He shares a quote from the Great Paul "Bear" Bryant- "Show class, have pride, and display character, if you do, winning takes care of itself." Roll Tide - Focus on the intangibles "the little things" and winning "the big things " will be much easier to grasp.
Program Consultant
Coach Rodriguez is a former Men's Basketball Manager at Division I Kennesaw State University. He was a two-year varsity basketball letterman at North Paulding High School from 2017-2019, where his teams won the most games in school history and as a senior advanced to the Class 7A GHSA Region Quarterfinals. Coach Rodriguez's coaching experience includes serving as an Assistant Coach with NME 2023 and as the highly successful coach of the NME 2028 team for 2 years. He has served as a camp coach at North Paulding High School's "Blue Collar" summer camps and a former contributor to the ELITE HOOPS REPORT. He currently serves as an Assistant Coach for the North Paulding High School Men's basketball program.
Fundraising and Development
ANTHONY MOTEN (Click on any image below to open in a larger view)
Program Consultant
Anthony Moten is an Executive in the Southeast Region for Nissan USA. He grew up in Los Angeles, California and began playing organized basketball when he was 14 years old as a small forward at Taft High School in Woodland Hills, LA. He then received and played at Cal-State Northridge with a full scholarship while earning his 4 year degree. Anthony's love of the game is ongoing, and he has continued to play to this day. He is extremely competitive, and expects the same determination, application and work ethic from others. Above all, Anthony values teamwork, sharing the view of Michael Jordan which relates to team success... "Talent wins games, but teamwork wins championships."
Phone (770) 917-0107
Dallas, GA 30132
nmebasketballgroup@gmail.com
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