Our Staff

Our team consists of a diverse group of coaches and supporters. We have chosen to develop a team of specialist coaches that communicate closely, educate themselves continuously and frequently, and stay updated with the development needs, challenges and opportunities of each athlete within the program.

The decision to build a coherent team of specialists came from the observation and plus-minus analysis of the commonly-seen practice of traditional basketball clubs in utilising ‘generalist coaches.’ With one team and one coach, the coach is in charge of all the tactical, technical, athletic and mental development. Frequently, the coach prefers one of these topics resulting in other key development areas being completely neglected. From observing these programs, we noticed that in the long run, it is the individual skill-set of the player that is neglected the most by the generalist coach.

Therefore, we set-up the Process whereby each team can work with a group of specialist coaches. Every week the players learn from different coaches who study, research and base their practices on the exact subjects that they are most passionate about. Players learn from experts and those who aspire to become leaders within their field. To work at the Academy, coaches maintain a daily study program to hold themselves accountable to the same standards that we expect from our players.

The connecting glue between the specialist coaches is communication. The Head Coach of an age-group shares observations with the skills trainer, the skills trainer with the strength coach, the shooting coach gives pointers to the one in charge of coordination and movement development, the physiotherapist shares valuable warm-up instruction with the players. Our aim to create a close-knit network of experts who use their knowledge and experience to support and energise the players.

Academy Director Joerik Michiels

Joerik was born and raised in Antwerp, Belgium. Passionate about skills training from a young age, he has spent close to a decade studying and gaining knowledge from a variety of coaches and basketball trainers all over the world.

About Joerik

Joerik was born and raised in Antwerp, Belgium. Passionate about skills training from a young age, he has spent close to a decade studying and gaining knowledge from a variety of coaches and basketball trainers all over the world. This led to teaming up with Olivier Goetgeluck to create the Elite Athletes program. At the ‘EA Facility’ in Antwerp, players of all ages and abilities from beginner to pro come to develop their movement & coordination skills with Olivier, while working on their basketball skills with Joerik. Joerik founded the Elite Academy program in 2017 to provide a year-round program for youth players in Belgium. This unique formula has led to international acclaim, with Joerik regarded as a globally renowned skill trainer delivering international camps and coaching clinics all over the world. Within the Academy, Joerik leads on the player development strategy and spends time working with all age groups on individual skills. Joerik has been featured on several leading podcasts sharing the unique methodology used at Elite Academy. Check out the videos below to get a behind-the-scenes look at EA:

Listen to Joerik speak about the vision behind Elite Academy on these globally renowned basketball podcasts…

 

Watch Joerik in Action

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Read more about Joerik…

Operations Director and Head Coach Tanner Brightman

Tanner was born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada and has served as Basketball Saskatchewan's High Performance Coach for eight seasons. This includes head coaching the 2017 Canada Games Team. In addition, Brightman is co-owner of Golden Ticket Sports.

About Tanner

Throughout his eight years of coaching with Basketball Saskatchewan’s Men’s High-Performance Program, Brightman has led teams between U14-U17. His most prominent head coaching gig was leading Team Saskatchewan at the 2017 50th Annual Canada Summer Games, compiling a 56-8 record over the four years of working with this group of athletes. Brightman became the youngest provincial team basketball coach in 2011 when he was an apprentice coach with the U14 Western Canada Games Team. Since 2016, Tanner Brightman has served as the Technical Lead for the Regina Community Basketball Association Board of Directors. 

Tanner holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Regina (2016) and has been working at Luther College High School in Regina for the past three years prior to joining EA. Coach Brightman’s high school teams have had great success within Saskatchewan as well. While at Balfour Collegiate (2012-2017), Brightman was a part of two city finalist runner ups and two provincial fifth-place rankings while leading the Sr. Boys as both assistant and head coach.

During Brightman’s time at Luther, he took the Senior Men’s team to a provincial 5th place finish in 2019. As a player, Brightman was a part of two city championship wins, one provincial championship win, and one provincial 3rd place finish as a member of the Balfour Collegiate Redmen. 

Tanner is no stranger to international athletics’ and athletes. Brightman served as Dean of Men at Luther College High School from August 2017 until June 2020. Luther College is one of Canada’s most prestigious private schools. Tanner’s primary responsibility was managing the day-to-day living and educational arrangements of nearly one hundred international dorm students. Not many, if any, basketball academies are fortunate enough to have someone with this experience in-house and on their staff. Students and their families trusted in Tanner Brightman and his staff to care for their children while living thousands of miles away from home in Canada. Tanner had direct responsibilities managing student health, study, wellness, financial, and personal information while students were living and studying abroad.

Tanner was born and raised in Regina, with a younger brother and an incredibly supportive family. Tanner is engaged to an amazing woman named Jess, and plan to get married in November of 2021. Tanner loves to play guitar, collect shoes, and travel the world.

 

 

Listen to Tanner speak about his journey through coaching and developing professional development on the following podcasts.

 

Watch Tanner in Action

Coach Tanner Brightman talks to Global Regina about our U17 boys heading to 2017 Canada Games in Winnipeg #paceandspace #SetTheStandard

Geplaatst door Basketball Saskatchewan Inc. op Dinsdag 11 juli 2017

 

Connect With Tanner

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Read more about Tanner…

Performance Director Olivier Goetgeluck

Oliver has been working as a coach and teacher since 2011, when he founded Elite Athletes with Joerik Michiels. He researches the dynamics of psychophysical health in different contexts, looking at how we can develop themselves through a myriad of methods.

About Olivier

Oliver has been working as a coach and teacher since 2011, when he founded Elite Athletes with Joerik Michiels. Olivier researches the dynamics of psychophysical health in different contexts, looking at how human beings can develop themselves through a myriad of methods, both old and new. Elite Academy is the outlet through which Olivier shares his findings within the domain of the sports world.

Since 2015, Olivier has been closely connected to Greece-based human development platform “Fighting Monkey,” acting as an instructor for one of the most innovative organisations in the world focussed on the areas of physical and behavioural human performance. Goetgeluck’s aim is to teach athletes to enhance their recovery and well-being by becoming more closely connected, receptive and sensitive to their own body.

Within Elite Academy, athletes are fortunate to spend time with Olivier focussing on their athletic movement & coordination, in addition to breathing techniques and the mental side of the game.

 

Watch Olivier in Action

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Read more about Olivier…

Head Coach Janka Debacker

Janka Debacker was the MVP of the European Championships twice as a youth player, playing for the Belgian Cats from U14 - U21’s. This led to a successful NCAA Division 1 Career at the University of Seattle.

Janka Debacker was the MVP of the European Championships twice as a youth player, playing for the Belgian Cats from U14 – U21’s. This led to a successful NCAA Division 1 Career at the University of Seattle. Following this, Janka returned to Belgium and has enjoyed a successful youth coaching career working at all levels of the game. This culminated in receiving the ‘Coach of the Tournament’ award in her rst year at the academy, coaching the team at the prestigious ‘Haris Invitational’ in Manchester.

Read more about Janka…

Head Coach Michael de Boeck

Michaël de Boeck is a 22-year old basketball player who plays at BBC Stabroek in 2nd Provinciale. He is currently studying at the University of Antwerp. Besides that Michaël is our defensive coach for all our teams and the assistant coach of Alex Sarama’s U18 squad.

Michaël de Boeck is a 22-year old basketball player who plays at BBC Stabroek in 2nd Provinciale. He is currently studying at the University of Antwerp. Besides that Michaël is our defensive coach for all our teams and the assistant coach of Alex Sarama’s U18 squad. He’s also part of our skills training team.

Read more about Michael…

Head Coach Jonas de Bruyne

Jonas de Bruyne is 28 years old and currently a sports teacher. He is a licensed B basketball trainer and he joined the Academy in 2018, working with several pro’s and Academy kids during the off-season.

Jonas de Bruyne is 28 years old and currently a sports teacher. He is a licensed B basketball trainer and he joined the Academy in 2018, working with several pro’s and Academy kids during the off-season. He formerly coached at Basics Melsele, working with U8 up until U14 players. He is currently a skills trainer for our Academy and leads several sessions per week for us.

Read more about Jonas…

Head Coach Mathieu Detiège

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Communications Manager Tonio Caruso

Tonio Caruso is currently studying Sport Management at University in Turnhout to expand his knowledge of the sports world. Tonio’s role at Elite Academy is Communications Manager, taking care of all communication between players, parents and coaches to ensure transparency and communication operates at a world-class level.

Tonio also manages all social media for Elite Academy, in addition to assisting the Elite Academy Directors (Joerik, Alex and Olivier). He also acts as a skills trainer, assisting and leading skill workouts with our Academy youth players. Tonio’s playing career is still active, this season playing for T&T Turnhout in Division 1e Landelijke.

Read more about Tonio…

Photographer Serch Carriere

Born in Antwerp and raised by a German mum and South American dad, Serch quickly developed a passion for arts.
Always creating things, building, drawing, and using fantasy to the fullest as a kid drove Serch to take up art school in Brussels. This only amplified his passion to combine everything he loves: from going to concerts to playing music himself to creating his own drumsets and finishing them off with graffiti designs.
Being able to turn his hobbies and passion into work is something that wakes Serch up with a smile every morning, ready to rock & roll again (quite literally). Aside from taking some of the best photographic shots in the game, Serch is a drummer in the band BEAR, who have been on tour in several exotic locations throughout the world.
A fun fact for the next Elite Academy Quiz Night; did you know that Joerik met Serch when he was 12 years old at the legendary playground of  Tunnelplaats in Antwerp, as well as the fact that Olivier started a team at Antwerp Giants together with Serch in 2012?
In addition to his work with Elite Academy, Serch is a photographer for FIBA, the Belgian Vice Prime Minister Mr. Alexander De Croo, the Belgian Cats (Women’s National Team) and Belgian Lions (Men’s national team).

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Videographer Tim Dalle

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Designer Sander Gee

Sander is a Belgian Creative Director and Graphic Designer born and raised in Antwerp,
who has been living in London since 2012. Mr G, as he is known in academy cirlces, has extensive knowledge in brand management over several years’ experience working with a range of international organisations.
Sander has worked across Western Europe, North America and Asia with major organisations in the luxury fashion, sports and music industries. This has included extensive work for Burberry London, Ozwald Boateng, J.W.Anderson, Tom Dixon, Liberty London, Belgium Got Game, and Push-it Records.
In his free time, Sander is a globetrotter who likes to explore what the world has to offer on his Triumph Scrambler motorbike. You can follow his travel journal here. Furthermore, he often joins Olivier’s ‘Coming To Our Senses’ weekends to relax from his day-to-day job with movement and meditational practices in nature.

Read more about Sander…