Illinois Jaguars
This on the rise basketball club has been making noise out of the Chicago area since its inception. With the high school season winding down, Coach Del Brazil is gearing up for another successful spring and summer season. Coach Brazil sat down with us to take a dive into his world with Illinois Jags Basketball.
In 2009, Coach Brazil took his coaching from biddy basketball, to founding the Illinois Jags as his son entered 3rd grade. They gradually worked their way up playing in beginner tournaments and working their way up competitively. Since then, they haven’t looked back, now an Adidas Silver Gauntlet program they are confident competing with anyone who steps on the hardwood across from them. Now, focusing solely on high school, coach Brazil will have his first graduating class this upcoming spring. Many of these players have been with him since the program’s inception. Coach Brazil credits the commitment of his players and parents as the driving force behind their transformation into one of the mid-west’s most formidable opponents. On the court, Brazil believes much of their success can also be accredited to the culture and chemistry that’s been built by more or less having the same teams every year.
The jags play an entertaining up-tempo style which gets the kids excited to play and puts an emphasis on simply just playing. Coach Brazil is excited to see his 17-U group through this year and see how all of the work they’ve been doing will translate to the next level. When asked what the ultimate aim of his program, Brazil says they focus on the individual needs of each player as he believes every player is different and requires different teaching styles. Not only are the Illinois Jags about building success on the basketball court coach Brazil that teaching life skills to be used off the court is equally as important.
After turning a lot of heads at last year’s ZG Classic in Chicago, we are excited to have the Illinois Jags back this year chasing a back to back title on the ZG Circuit! This is certainly not the last you’ll hear of the Illinois Jags in the coming future!
Twitter: @IllinoisJaguars
Instagram: @IllinoisJaguars
http://www.jaguarbasketball.com/
