Max Campodall’Orto is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Raymond S Kellis High School for AzPreps365.com

Just off the 101-North in Glendale in the shadow of State Farm Stadium sits Raymond S. Kellis High School. While unassuming from the outside, something is brewing inside the basketball gym. The coaches and young men of the Kellis basketball program are working in silence. They’re putting in the work in the weight room and on the court so they can change the culture of the program and reach the potential they know they have. A new era of Kellis basketball begins now.

Kellis basketball used to be a force to be reckoned with. The program maintained a winning record from the 2009-2010 season to the 2012-2013 season. This run was highlighted by a 26-3 season in 2011-2012 that culminated in a deep playoff run. After the 2013 season, Kellis basketball has struggled for eight straight seasons unable to post a 500 record. But there is finally a light in the darkness.

Prior to last season, Kellis decided to hire a new, young head coach named De’Rahn Stinson. Stinson’s first season was marred by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions that came along with it. The program was unable to have an offseason to put in the new coaching staff’s system and the inability to prepare as a team hurt them on their way to a 2-15 season.

“Covid impacted us a lot as a team,” senior center Zeke Pacheco said. “We didn’t really get an offseason at all. The summer program got canceled, which played a big part in us not reaching our full potential. There were more injuries and all that without the off-season work.”

Despite the tough first season with the new staff, the players are optimistic that they can move past last season and begin focusing on the upcoming season. “I think that we can grow past the setbacks from COVID. It took away a lot of energy and motivation from the program but we’re finally moving on from it. Our energy is coming back for sure,” Senior guard Amare Arbizu said. “The season wasn’t what we wanted but this year will be different. We’re focused on building the program instead of ourselves. We trust in coach and his staff.”

The program will finally get to participate in a normal offseason this summer. This includes summer workouts and practices which have already begun. Later in the summer there will be team tournaments, and summer leagues. All of these are invaluable for building the team chemistry and camaraderie that they were unable to work on last year and it will allow the coaching staff to finally be able to implement the system they want to have.

“Having a normal offseason will for sure make us feel more connected and really help us build team chemistry,” Junior guard/forward Chris Ruiz said. “COVID really messed everything up last year and made everything fall apart. Our mentality wasn’t right but as a team we’re still young so we have a lot of time and work to do to build that important chemistry that will help us.”

Stinson is putting in the work this offseason to change the culture of the program from what it has been into a successful, winning one. “I think for us, our biggest thing is getting the culture together and getting it changed.” Stinson said, “We did a much better job playing hard down the stretch in our last four games. That doesn’t show on the stat sheet, but it is definitely noticeable. We’re learning to actually play hard.”

Stinson was obviously unhappy about the outcome of his first season, but he decided to use it as a learning experience to improve and apply the lessons learned to the rest of his coaching career. “I learned a lot in my first season as a varsity head coach.” Stinson said, “I definitely learned to not take any second for granted. I learned to teach everything and focus on each individual detail. And that goes for everything, the booster club, behind the scenes, everything. I’m making completely sure that I’m very detailed in everything.”

Stinson became a new father in the midst of the difficult season. This total life change helped him realize what is important in life. Family.

“Being a new dad is really great. It’s the best job in the world. I know it’s a cliché and everyone says that, but it truly is,” Stinson said. “There’s nothing like having a son and going home every day and seeing his face. We would come home from a pretty bad loss and I would look next to me, see my son, and forget all about the loss. I think it gives me a perspective on what the bigger picture is. At the end of the day, the ball stops bouncing. Even for coaches. It's important that you have something outside of basketball and that’s what my family is. They’re my release.”

Outside of the team record, Stinson has seen a noticeable change in his athletes and the program as a whole. “We’ve been able to get more people talking about the Kellis basketball program,” He said. “There are more eyes on us than ever before. It’s been good to see the positive stuff said about the program, that we’re moving in the right direction. I think the wins will come but we have to keep grinding and keep putting in the work.”

He and his staff know changing the culture of a program is no easy task and it will be done by focusing on one small detail at a time. “Changing a programs culture starts in the weight room, the practice gym, and the classroom,” Stinson said. “We have to make sure we’re more intense in everything we do and make sure we’re locked in and the wins will come. We just have to make sure we’re doing the right thing every time we’re out on the court to form those good habits. We are always extremely detailed and focused on the little things because you can’t learn how to win until you know how to do the little things.”

Stinson and his coaching staff have entirely reworked how practices are run by incorporating new drills and individually targeted skill work with each player. He and his staff also designed weight training plans for his varsity athletes.

“The culture change is already very noticeable.” Pacheco said, “I could tell with other coaches, we lacked discipline. We weren’t held accountable, and we would let the little things slide. This year, our coaches are really breaking down each little play and making sure everything is nice and crisp.”

While Stinson and his staff have really put in the work on the court, they also excel in supporting their players off the court. Pacheco is not only the starting center for Stinson’s team, but he’s also a starter on both sides of the line for the football team. “I love playing two sports in high school,” Pacheco said. “It keeps me busy. I don’t like sitting at home and this gives me time each day to get two workouts in and some cardio. I just love it.”

Stinson has been integral in making sure Pacheco can play both sports. ““Coach has made it easier to play both sports.” Pacheco said, “He understands where I’m at and he’s flexible with the football team.”

Stinson works with the football programs schedule and modifies his to make sure that Pacheco can fully participate in both programs and he trusts him to make it all work.

The trust placed in Pacheco by Stinson has helped him grow exponentially as a basketball player and as a young man. “Coach D has most definitely had a positive impact on me.” Pacheco said, “Before the coaching change, I couldn’t get a single look and I was stuck on JV. Last summer when coach came in, he wanted to work with me immediately and showed me how to push myself harder in basketball. He wanted to help me and that made me fall in love with the game more than ever before.”

With the past season behind them, Stinson, his staff, and his players are ready for the challenge of the offseason and the upcoming season. Their new system, new attitude, and newly formed team chemistry will produce an on the court product that Kellis hasn’t seen in years. “This season, I want us to look more like the team I envision us as, a defensive grit-and-grind team.” Stinson said, “We’re going to push the tempo and learn to play the right way. We will be a much more exciting team this year. Please come out and see a game next season!”