MEET THE COACHES
Great Coaches Enable Great Players
We want to teach, develop, and empower young athletes in basketball’s most fundamental skills. Our coaches aim to create a foundation for our players, developing their character, and building discipline along the way. Each member of our teams will work together to find their sense of sportsmanship and achieve a united goal. With a focus on building leaders and strong individuals, these coaches and leadership teams love advocating, mentoring, and building friendships with each of their team members.
Our Story
The first Hickory Hoops league started youth sports with a group of 6th-grade boys. As they grew up, they still play for this team due to the workmanship, discipline, and integrity of the team. Number 44 is taller than the league leader himself, Todd Zimmerman!
At Hickory Hoops, we only want the best for our players. Many of our high school coaches and leadership have collegiate NCAA coaching licenses. Each coach that joins Hickory Hoops commits to the guidelines and culture we have set in place. Our goal is not how to train your kids to win a game, but instead to become the best player, teammates, and young athletes they can be. We pride ourselves on building our team’s strength on the foundation of mutual respect and friendship. Aside from teaching basketball skills, our coaches want to teach older players how to coach successfully, allowing them to craft their own basketball coaching careers.
The Future of Hickory Hoops
Hickory Elite
Hickory Hoops has a more competitive travel team that holds annual tryouts. We apply a hands-on approach to our coaching style by working beside them, complementing the qualities of every player on the team. Traveling creates strong bonds between the players and their coaches. We all have fun out there!
Girl's Basketball
We are passionate about creating young leaders in women’s basketball. Hickory planned to start its girls’ team in 2020, but there was a delay due to COVID-19. Instead, the team started in 2022 and has been having fun since!
Hickory Hoops
Coaches with Hickory Hoops understand that sometimes college scouts visit our high school athletes’ games. For our players to showcase their skills, we ensure they are encouraged to play their best but still respect the game and each other. Coaches represent each player to the best of their abilities. We hope that every player on the team can find this type of passion in the sport and can move into the next phase of their basketball career.
Featured Coaches
Daniel Gillion
Coach Daniel has been a youth coach in Hamilton County since 2003. He has coached many sports over the years but most of his experience has been on the hardwood. Daniel began coaching with the Hickory Hoops organization as an assistant for the middle-grade boys basketball team and expanded to high school teams in 2021. He led his boys basketball teams through regular sessions as well as AAU tournaments. He’d like to thank Chad Sudsberry, Jason Ditsch, Todd Zimmerman, and Pete Teagarden for being great mentors and strong influences on his basketball coaching style.
Currently, Coach Daniel is coaching 3rd and 4th grade boys basketball with his son Thatcher, who is a third grader at Heritage Christian School. He looks forward to continuing to coach at the high school level alongside his son Carter, who is also a student at Heritage Christian School. Coach Daniel is a full time educator in the South Madison Community School Corporation. He also owns and operates a music school in both Pendleton and Fishers. When he isn’t working or coaching, he spends time with his wife Amy and their kids: Carter, Gemma and Thatcher–or he plays disc golf with friends.
Casey Clutch
Coach Casey Clutch has a background in professional coaching in the Fastpitch softball world. She played basketball from 4th-9th grade but once she was a sophomore she decided to focus solely on softball. In high school she was a 4 year varsity pitcher for Frankton High School, winning Class A state Championship in 2000 as the winning pitcher. During college, she became a 4-year Division I pitcher for the University of Evansville. She earned her BS in Exercise Science at the University of Evansville, then moved on to get her MS from Texas Women’s university in Kinesiology with emphasis in Softball Coaching. As part of her sophomore year of college, she was selected to participate in the USA National Team Training Camp in Chula vista, CA as a pitcher, which could have led to selection in the Olympics. After college, she specialized in pitching coaching, Coach Clutch received the title of a 4 Star NFCA Master Coach.
Before joining Hickory Hoops, she coached as an assistant coach for Mission Christian Academy Middle School for 2 years. She has coached basketball since her oldest son was in Kindergarten, and is now in 7th. However, she has been coaching for Hickory Hoops for a few sessions now, specifically coaching her oldest and now youngest children, who just finished 1st grade and is playing in the 2nd grade league with his friends. Her favorite part of coaching is the player development, as well as bringing the team together. In her pitching lessons and on the court, she focuses on the process instead of the outcome. Coach Clutch believes that when a student focuses on the little things, the big things will come like wins and championships. Her motto is: Hustle. Talk. Finish all while we have fun, bringing energy to the game.
Ashley Tanney
Coach Tanney began early as an athlete. She always kept up with two sports, volleyball and basketball, but learned fundamentals of most sports. She is what some may call a sports enthusiast–and her parents were her biggest supporters. Tanney had dozens of coaches growing up in a small town, which eventually helped her develop her own coaching style and philosophy. She grew to love all forms of fitness.
Today, she keeps a safe place for her players to come back to on and off the court. As a mother, she knows that mutual trust between an adult and child is important. In fact, her own son is on the team! After all, coaching and playing sports is really about having fun. Coach Tanney wants to be a positive influence. She knows the excitement for success can be the momentum that develops active, well-rounded athletes who know the fundamentals of the game. Coach Tanney speaks well of the opportunity, support and flexibility that Hickory Hoops continues to provide.
Hoy Garvin
Hoy Garvin grew up in Bloomington, Indiana playing football and basketball. A lifelong Hoosiers fan, Hoy left Bloomington to attend Indiana Wesleyan University. There he met his wife Angela Garvin and they have three children Drew (10) Kinsley (7) and Elliana (6). Hoy has been coaching with Hickory Hoops Boys Basketball over the past two years.
As a coach Hoy enjoys developing athletes beyond their current abilities. “Football and Basketball were a big part of my life. I had coaches who mentored me and I am forever grateful to them! I enjoy passing down the physical and mental part of the game to the next generation.”
Eileen Einsfeld
I’ve been coaching Hickory Hoops for 3 years, and other basketball teams for an additional 4 years, with 3 Session Championship rings earned. I coach kids to play as team and learn basic offense and defense skill sets. I really push basic fundamentals and sportsmanship.
I played basketball through high school (#22 national ranked HS team Oakland Catholic) in the US. My claim to fame in HS is that I blocked Swin Cash (former WNBA superstar) in our semifinals championship game.
My favorite basketball team is the Purdue Boilermakers even though we can’t ever do well in the NCAA tournament. #Purdue alumni
I have a daughter and twin boys. I am married to my best friend John.
My dad taught me the most about basketball over the years. I have had many other amazing coaches including an Olympic gold medalist for my high school coach In Pittsburgh, PA.
