Leadership Team & Coaches
At The Gillion Academy, our leadership and coaching teams are intentionally unified—many of our staff members serve as both educators and coaches, guiding students through every part of their day. This integrated model ensures that mentorship is consistent, purposeful, and rooted in real relationships.
Our staff includes licensed teachers, experienced academic advisors, and former Division I and NCAA Gold Coach Licensed professional basketball coaches who are deeply invested in the development of each student-athlete. Whether in the classroom or on the court, they model discipline, focus, and accountability—helping students understand that the lessons learned in one space apply powerfully to the other.
By staying present throughout the school day and training schedule, our team creates a seamless environment where expectations are clear, support is consistent, and growth is constant. Boys don’t just receive guidance—they’re surrounded by it.
At Gillion, the lessons we teach on the court and in the classroom are never separate—they reinforce each other, helping young men build the character, confidence, and work ethic they’ll carry for life.
Meet the Team
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Darrance Gillion
Head of School
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Philip Budwick
Associate Head of School
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Zach Gillion
Director of Athletics
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Kenny Gillion
Dean of Students, National Coach
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Warren Doles
Co-Instructor, Freshmen Coach
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Jonathan Gajardo
Co-Instructor, Assistant National Coach
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Daniel "TJ" Sapp
Lead Instructor, Prep Coach
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Jelani Hewitt
Co-Instructor, Head Varsity Coach
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Maurice Smith
Co-Instructor, JV Head Coach
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Justin Halsey
Director of Sports Performance
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Diana Gillion
Basketball Logistic Coordinator/ Assistant National Coach
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Director of Advancement
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Yanyka Troutman
Administrative Coordinator
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Darrance Gillion is a co-founder of the Gillion Academy for Academic Excellence and serves as the Associate Head of School and the Dean of Students, where he is responsible for developing and executing curriculum and scheduling.
With over 20 years of professional experience (as well as master’s degrees in education leadership and school counseling) as a teacher, school counselor, director of school counseling and dean of students in both private and public education, Mr. Gillion leads the Academy's vision of a system where every student has the resources, opportunities and support they need to thrive.
He has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to reimagining education throughout his career, working to address systemic inequities, empower communities and create sustainable solutions that prepare students for a rapidly evolving world. He now brings that tireless advocacy for students and their families as well as his ability to inspire transformative change to the Academy, where he also serves as co-director of the Life Skills Program (which teaches financial literacy, entrepreneurship and life experiences from working professionals and leaders).
In addition to his academic background, Mr. Gillion has a long history and proven track record of developing players. He is the co-founder/coach of the nationally recognized AAU program Team Breakdown and has also coached nationally ranked high school teams. Darrance has developed over 150 players who played at the collegiate level in his 24 years of experience, with more than 50 of those players going on to play professionally.
Credentials:
B.S. in Political Science, Florida Atlantic University
M.Ed. in School Counseling, Liberty University
M.Ed. in Education Leadership, Liberty University
NCAA Gold Coach License
Darrance Gillion
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Phillip Budwick is a co-founder of The Gillion Academy for Academic Excellence and serves as the Associate Head of School for Operations and Director of the Academy’s Life Skills Program. He brings more than 30 years of experience in the areas of law, finance and entrepreneurship to the Academy’s operational and academic planning while also serving as Director of the Life Skills Program which teaches financial literacy, entrepreneurship and shares experiences from working professionals and leaders.
Phil holds a law degree from Tulane University and a master’s degree in finance from the George Washington University School of Business. He worked as a transactional and administrative law attorney for the federal government before moving into the private sector as a business owner and developer.
Phil is currently a managing member of Capital Realty Group, a real estate investment company, and a managing member of Globalwax, an international import/export company covering Asia, Latin America and the United States. He also serves as a Lecturer in Finance at the GWU School of Business, teaching portfolio management and derivatives to graduate and undergraduate classes.
Credentials:
B.A. in Political Science, Brandeis University
J.D. in Law, Tulane Law School (NY Bar)
M.S. in Finance, George Washington School of Business
Philip Budwick
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Zacchaeus Gillion is a co-founder of the Gillion Academy for Academic Excellence and serves as the Associate Head of School and its Athletic Director, where he passionately leads the student athletes to believe in themselves on the court and in the classroom.
Coach Zach oversees all aspects of basketball programming for the Academy, using his vast experience as a game/highlight film specialist and recruitment expert to provide maximum exposure and opportunity for the student athletes. He developed the Academy’s Basketball IQ program, which utilizes game film, game situations and tailored practice drills to develop court intelligence and round out elite skills.
Prior to co-founding the Academy, Zach served as an assistant coach for Division I programs Chicago State and Samford. He reached the collegiate level after earning Florida High School Coach of the Year honors twice and coaching Team Breakdown (which he co-founded with his brother, Darrance) to two national AAU championships. He has developed over 150 players who played at the collegiate level in his 24 years of experience, with more than 50 of those players going on to play professionally.
Credentials:
B.A. in Sociology
NCAA Gold Coach License
Zach Gillion
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Kenny Gillion is a dedicated basketball coach and mentor known for developing young athletes on and off the court. With years of experience in grassroots and high school basketball, he has built a reputation for his leadership, player development skills, and commitment to education through sports.
Gillion is entering his 1st year at Gillion Academy. He spent the last 10 years at West Oaks Academy in Orlando, FL
His West Oaks squad was nationally ranked 9 of Gillion’s 10 years. He also led West Oaks to the State Final Four 7 times in 10 years and was named SIAA Coach of the Year twice.
In addition to team success at West Oaks, Gillion coached 4 Players of the Year, 18 all state players and more than 90% of his players earned college basketball scholarships
Gillion is also the founder and director of Team Breakdown. Breakdown has won numerous national championships and produced many top players, college and pro coaches in 26 years.
Gillion’s passion lies in creating opportunities for student-athletes to grow as players and as individuals. This passion has allowed Gillion to coached over 400 college athletes and 200 pro athletes.
Kenny Gillion
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Warren Doles serves as Director of Player Development for the Gillion Academy for Academic Excellence. Coach Warren has an unwavering passion for player development and inspires the student athletes by sharing his extensive playing and professional coaching experience.
After playing collegiately at Shepherd University and Fairmont State University (where he still holds assists records at both schools), Warren began a successful career as a coach and basketball trainer. In addition to coaching locally as an assistant at Alexandria City High School, he served as player development coach for the Chinese National Team and the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Warren also is the founder of the DMV Basketball Academy, where he developed and trained numerous notable players who have gone on to play professionally in the NBA or overseas (including Haywood Highsmith, former Division II National Player of the Year and current member of the Miami Heat).
Credentials:
B.A. in Speech Communication, Minor in Recreational Leadership; Fairmont State University
NCAA Gold Coach License
Warren Doles
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Jonathan Gajardo is an experienced basketball coach and director of operations with over 10 years of leadership in player development, program management, and organizational growth. He has successfully mentored student-athletes at all levels, from high school to professional, building strong relationships with NCAA programs, NBA coaches, and marketing agencies. His work has contributed to the success of more than 40 Division I athletes, including Marcis Ponder, Willie Burnett, Aaron McGee, and Jayden Joseph, as well as coaching the first-ever 16-year-old pros in America, Matt and Ryan Bewley.
His expertise lies in operations management, skills training, and program development, with additional strengths in graphic design, content creation, and digital marketing. Jonathan thrives in mentoring young men, managing team logistics, and creating pathways for athletes to succeed both on and off the court.
Jonathan Gajardo
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A product of Northeast High School under the guidance of the Gillions, TJ earned a scholarship to Clemson University in 2011. After two seasons, he transferred to Murray State, where he became a captain and a cornerstone of one of the most memorable seasons in program history. In 2014-15, TJ helped lead the Racers to a school-record 25 consecutive wins, an undefeated 16-0 record in Ohio Valley Conference play, and a berth in the NIT quarterfinals. He was named to the OVC All-Tournament Team after scoring a career-high 28 points in the championship.
After graduating, TJ played professionally from 2015 to 2020, appearing in over 100 games across Europe and South America, including stints in Germany, Colombia, France, Belgium, Spain, and Slovakia. He capped off the 2016-17 season by winning the LNB Pro B Championship in France.
TJ began his coaching journey at his alma mater, Northeast High School in Oakland Park, FL, where he served as head coach from 2020 to 2023. During the same period, he also coached with Team Breakdown, helping develop young talent across South Florida. From 2023 to 2025, TJ returned to Murray State, serving as an Assistant Coach and Director of Player Development for the men's basketball program.Credentials:
B.A. Integrated Studies
NCAA Gold Coach License
Daniel “TJ” Sapp
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As a collegiate athlete, Hewitt starred at Georgia Southern University, where he etched his name into the record books. He holds program records for free throws made (394), career steals (252), and three-point field goals made (270). His 1,810 career points rank sixth on GSU’s all-time Division I scoring list. In recognition of his standout performances, Hewitt was named All-SoCon (2013–14) by coaches, earned second-team honors from the media, and was later named Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.
After college, Jelani had a successful four-year professional career overseas. He played both point guard and shooting guard for several teams, including Science City Jena (2015–16, Jena, Germany), Rhein Stars Köln (2016–17, Cologne, Germany), MLP Academics Heidelberg (2017–18, Heidelberg, Germany), and CB Clavijo (2019, Logroño, Spain).
Jelani then turned to coaching at the D1 level where he served for three seasons as an Assistant Coach at Chicago State from 2021 to 2024.Credentials:
B.A. Sports Management
NCAA Gold Coach License
Jelani Hewitt
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Maurice Smith is a Head Coach and Academic Advisor for the Gillion Academy for Academic Excellence. Coach Mo was a top student to match his high performance on the court during his career and uses that experience to mentor student athletes looking to play at the next level.
Mo has deep ties to the Gillion family, playing for Team Breakdown in high school and helping the team earn a number-one U16 ranking. He continued his career at Division I Western Carolina University before moving on to Harris-Stowe University, where led the team to the AMC Midwest Conference Championship in 2020. Following his undergrad career, Mo played as a graduate at the University of the Virgin Islands. He earned his Masters as well as Second Team All-Conference honors (the first player in school history to do so) after finishing in the top ten in points, rebounds, three-point percentage and blocks.
Coach Mo applies his background and experience of playing elite high school and Division 1 basketball to develop our players and teach the skills neded to compete at the next level. A top student in high school, college and graduate school, Coach Mo also serves as a mentor and advisor in the classroom to meet our academic standards of excellence.
Credentials:
B.S. in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship, Harris Stowe State University
NCAA Gold Coach License
Maurice Smith
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Justin has been in the sports performance space for the last 10 years, spending the past 8 coaching athletes, adults, and teams across the DMV area. Over that time, he has built a deep toolbox of skills and experience that helps athletes and everyday people achieve real results and lasting transformations.
A Maryland native, Justin is originally from Prince George’s County and grew up in Annapolis playing basketball and baseball. He attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned a B.S. in Kinesiology with a focus on human biomechanics and sports science. After graduation, he interned and worked with the University of Maryland Terrapins basketball team for a year, where he was first introduced to high-level sports performance. During that time, he proudly supported about 10 players who went on to play professionally on both the men’s and women’s sides.
Since then, Justin has worked with athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels across a wide range of sports. He has helped hundreds of athletes—and over a thousand people total—improve their performance, achieve incredible athletic feats, extend their careers, live healthier lifestyles, and seize new opportunities.
He has also built strong connections with high-level athletes at both the high school and collegiate levels and worked with more than 12 teams and programs across multiple sports. In 2024, Justin launched HalseyPerformance to continue working with top athletes, helping them achieve the results they need and the opportunities they desire. He also serves as the head of sports performance for Bishop Ireton Girls Lacrosse (5 years), Bishop Ireton Softball (3 years), and provides speed & agility training for the STARS Lacrosse Club program.
Justin’s mission is to help people recognize their true potential and become the best version of themselves so they can achieve their goals. He believes human performance is the key to living a healthy, fulfilled lifestyle that empowers individuals to succeed not only in sports, but in every area of life.
Justin Halsey
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Diana Gillion is a passionate educator and mentor committed to empowering students through academics, leadership, and personal growth. With a 20+ year background in education and community service, she has dedicated her career to creating opportunities that help young people succeed in the classroom and on the basketball court. Known for her compassion, leadership, and ability to inspire, Diana continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of those she serves. Also runs a successful sponsored Youth Basketball Program, Showtime Ballers, in Florida since 2004.
Diana attended Florida Memorial in Miami (BS in Business Administration) and Grad School at FAMU in Tallahassee FL.
Diana Gillion
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Born in Charleston, South Carolina, and raised as a military brat, she grew up in Arizona, Holland, and Georgia before enlisting in the United States Air Force shortly after high school. She served 11 years on active duty as an Aviation Resource Management Specialist, managing the logistics of flight operations, ensuring aircrew readiness, and coordinating across maintenance, intelligence, and medical units. Stationed at multiple bases across the U.S. and overseas—including with the Rescue Squadron in Keflavik, Iceland—she played a vital role in maintaining mission success and had the authority to ground aircrew if qualifications or medical requirements were not met.
She deployed multiple times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, with her first deployment to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa shortly after 9/11. Over the course of her service, she earned the Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Medal, and she was recognized as Top Aviation Manager and Non-Commissioned Officer of the Quarter.
Following her military service, she continued her career with the federal civil service for 14 years as a Financial Management Analyst. She managed multimillion-dollar Air Force portfolios, advised program leadership, and led compliance reviews across multiple commands. At Fort Belvoir’s Air Force Petroleum Office, she advanced to Program Management Analyst and Inspector General, where she built and executed internal control programs, oversaw quality assurance, and ensured compliance for Air Force and DoD operations worldwide. She retired from federal service in 2021 with over 25 years of combined military and civilian service.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Healthcare Management and an MBA in Management, along with extensive certifications in financial management, acquisition, and leadership.In her current role at Gillion Academy, she leads advancement efforts through the KennyMax Foundation, which honors the legacy of the coaches’ fathers, Kenny and Max. Her mission is to secure the donations, partnerships, and resources that make it possible for the Foundation to provide scholarships and support to families in need at the Academy.
For her, it’s about more than basketball—it’s about giving every student-athlete hope, purpose, and a future.
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Ms. Yanyka has served as Gillion Academy’s Administrative Coordinator since its inception, playing a key role in ensuring the Academy’s daily operations run efficiently and seamlessly. She oversees enrollment contracts, admissions, school records, scheduling, and the maintenance of the Academy calendar.
As part of the operations leadership team, Yanyka manages core administrative systems, supports program coordination, and ensures clear communication between departments. She serves as the primary contact for families during the enrollment process and as a secondary point of support once students are enrolled, working closely with each student’s designated advocate.
With over 20 years of experience in operations management, executive administration, and project coordination within the corporate sector, Yanyka brings structure, professionalism, and a service-driven approach to her role. As both a dedicated professional and a mother to a scholar enrolled at Gillion Academy, she is deeply invested in the school’s mission and community. She takes great pride in contributing to the Academy’s continued growth and serving families with purpose and heart.