Teaching Basketball In Cambodia With Heart, Strategy, and Positive Energy
In every thriving junior basketball competition, there are coaches whose passion, purpose, and commitment elevate the entire community. At SEAJBL Cambodia, two such coaches stand at the heart of our mission to grow the sport: Coach Mike and Coach Kenn. Their journeys into basketball are deeply personal, shaped by adversity, opportunity, and a shared belief that coaching young athletes is one of the most meaningful ways to impact the future. Together, they represent the best of what junior basketball coaching can be—purpose-driven, player-focused, and dedicated to helping children grow both on and off the court. Learn more about our Cambodia based coaches [here]
Head Coach Mike
For Coach Mike, basketball has never been just a game—it has been a lifelong source of passion, identity, and strength. His coaching journey began in the United States with Top Flight, where he coached on and off for three years while studying and playing competitively in the Thai Basketball League (TBL). Even during his playing career, the joy of teaching and guiding young athletes was already taking root.
A major turning point came after another ACL injury—an experience that could have ended his involvement in the sport. Instead, it transformed it. Unable to compete at the same level, he stepped deeper into coaching, discovering that the love he had for basketball could be expressed in an entirely new way. What once began as a job became a calling.
“Coaching is a part of education,” he often says, and he means it. For him, junior basketball coaching is about far more than wins or highlights. It is about helping children discover their potential, watching their confidence grow, and guiding them through lessons that last long beyond any game: teamwork, resilience, responsibility, and the pride that comes from hard work.
His coaching journey soon expanded internationally. After his time with Top Flight, he was hired by JR. NBA, working in Thailand for a year before being transferred to Vietnam to help lift the level of play at SSA Academy. Through each experience, he brought the same purpose—creating a positive, competitive, and supportive environment where kids could flourish.
What stands out most about Coach Mike is his deep understanding of the impact a coach can have. He often speaks fondly of a mentor who taught him life lessons through basketball, shaping him both as an athlete and as a person. That legacy fuels everything he does today.
At SEAJBL Cambodia, Coach Mike’s goal is simple yet powerful: to give young players a place where they can fall in love with the game, have fun, grow together, and discover that basketball is not just a sport—but a community and a journey.
Coach Kenn
While Coach Mike entered coaching through competition and resilience, Coach Kenn found his path through curiosity and an unexpected opportunity. Originally drawn to basketball because of his love for the game, he discovered coaching almost by accident when the founder of PS Training & Coaching asked him to fill in as a trainer. What began as a temporary assignment quickly turned into a passion.
Coach Kenn realized that coaching young athletes brought a unique kind of joy. Kids bring raw energy, honesty, and excitement to every session—something that makes junior basketball coaching feel fresh and meaningful every day. Working with children, he found, was not just about teaching skills but shaping habits that would support them for life: teamwork, discipline, communication, and accountability.
“I seriously care about their growth—as players and as people,” he says. And it shows. He brings consistency, patience, and a positive attitude to every training session, helping young athletes stay motivated even when the drills get tough or the challenges increase.
What also makes him special is his strategic mindset. He loves the challenge of building and guiding teams, helping them think the game, understand spacing, communicate better, and develop the habits needed for success in junior basketball competition.
But beyond all of that, his biggest strength is the genuine care he shows for each child. Parents notice it. Players feel it. And SEAJBL Cambodia is stronger because of it.
Both Coach Mike and Coach Kenn share an unwavering commitment to the youth of Cambodia. They understand that junior basketball coaching is not just about training athletes—it is about shaping character, building community, and giving kids a safe and exciting environment to grow.
At SEAJBL Cambodia, where our vision extends far beyond competition scores, these two coaches exemplify what we stand for:
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Passion for teaching
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Focus on child development
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Creating healthy, competitive environments
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Building confidence and teamwork
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Inspiring young athletes to chase bigger dreams
Their journeys may be different, but their mission is the same:
to help Cambodian youth discover joy, discipline, and possibility through basketball.
With coaches like Mike and Kenn leading our programs, SEAJBL Cambodia continues to set a new standard for junior basketball coaching and junior basketball competition in the region—one young athlete at a time.