Anthony has coached basketball at multiple levels, including 5th, 7th, 8th, 10th, and 12th-grade teams in feeder leagues, as well as junior varsity and varsity-level girls’ and boys’ basketball. His coaching journey has been driven by a passion for developing young athletes and creating meaningful team experiences.
A graduate of DePaul University with a BA in Sports Communication, Anthony’s career reflects his dedication to enhancing fan experiences and fostering athlete development. As a Youth Sports Coach Specialist at Hot Shots Sports, he combines motivational coaching with strategic communication, helping young players grow their skills while serving as a positive role model.
Beyond coaching, Anthony has excelled in roles as a Brand Ambassador for Chicago Fire FC and a Fan Service Professional with the Chicago Bears. These positions highlight his exceptional interpersonal and problem-solving skills, as well as his ability to engage diverse audiences and create memorable game day experiences that uphold the reputation of top-tier sports organizations.
Anthony is excited to contribute to the tradition and success of the Storm community. His coaching philosophy emphasizes that an athlete's character is more valuable than their talent. He is committed to developing well-rounded players on the court while fostering self-accountability, work ethic, and leadership skills that translate to life beyond sports. Outside of basketball, Anthony enjoys traveling, exploring new restaurants with friends, and staying active through exercise.
Amani began coaching in 2018 after graduating from Central Michigan University. She has coached 3rd-5th, 6th-8th (travel), and Varsity girls/boys basketball. This also includes four years of player development coaching with athletes ranging from kindergarten up to professional overseas players.
From the Metro Detroit area in Michigan, Amani played high school basketball for Southgate Anderson, where she was a four-year varsity starter at point guard. She scored over 1,000 points and was part of the News Herald Dream Team. After graduating high school, she continued her academic and basketball career at Central Michigan University, playing Division 1 Women’s Basketball. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management and Entrepreneurship.
Amani is excited to help build a successful tradition within the Storm community. Her coaching philosophy is: an athlete’s character is far more important than their talent. Her goal is to help create well-rounded players on the court and better people off the court, striving to strengthen the basketball talents of her players while teaching them self-accountability, work ethic, and leadership skills.
When not coaching basketball, Amani enjoys creating artwork, visiting local coffee shops, and buying sneakers.
Fabian has played basketball since the age of 10, dedicating countless hours to practice and improving his skills and knowledge about the game. He has played for various teams, leagues, and organizations, always striving to learn as much as possible. Fabian's goal is to pass on the knowledge he has gained to younger players who hope to improve their skills and abilities.
In recent years, Fabian has coached several different sports for various ages ranging from 4 to 13. He aims to encourage young players to give 110% effort and be present for their teammates, helping one another improve. Fabian believes in having fun while using each play, practice, and game as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Fabian is excited to assist players in reaching their potential and providing them with a great basketball team experience. He inspires them to work together, work hard, have fun, and strive to get better each day.
Jalynn Estrada, also known as Coach Jae, played four years of varsity basketball at Niles West High School from 2012-2016. She was named to the All-Tournament Team in 2015 and All-Conference in 2016, earning the Buffalo Wild Wings Player of the Week award five times. For AAU, she played with Mac Irvin Lady Fire for six years, was named MVP in 2010, and helped lead her team to the 2015 Las Vegas Valley Championship.
Jalynn continued her basketball career at the prestigious HBCU Tuskegee University in Alabama, where she started as a freshman and was named SIAC Newcomer of the Week. She later transferred to the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas, completing her Bachelor's in Business Administration in May 2022. Jalynn has also coached grades 4-6 at MCC, assisting a fellow teammate, and has experience in personally training middle school basketball players.
With a background in travel basketball, having traveled to Indiana, Atlanta, Las Vegas, North Carolina, and Texas, Jalynn is eager to coach and develop young players. She looks forward to creating memories and having fun while helping these young ladies become the best players they can be.
Eddie Hartnett is the Storm Basketball Co-Director. In addition to his role with Storm Basketball, he also coaches with Storm and serves as the Director of Programming with Hot Shots Sports. Eddie has been with Hot Shots Sports and Storm Basketball since September 2019.
Eddie's coaching career began in 2006, and he has since coached basketball at various locations. From 2006 to 2008, he worked with the Niles North Boys Feeder program as an assistant coach while studying at Illinois State University for his undergraduate degree. After graduating in 2008, he worked with Evanston Girls Feeder Basketball from 2009 to 2010, coaching grades 6-8, and then transitioned to the newly formed Evanston Boys Feeder program in 2010. With the Evanston Boys program, Eddie coached various levels (5th-7th grades) and helped develop a strong pool of players who went on to win several conference, regional, sectional, and super-sectional titles with the Evanston Varsity team.
In 2016, while pursuing a graduate degree in Sports Management at Concordia University, Eddie was offered an opportunity as an assistant coach with their Men’s Basketball program. He was on staff for the 2016-17 season and completed his graduate studies in December 2016. In 2017, Eddie joined Rochelle Zell Jewish High School as the Sophomore Boys Basketball Head Coach and Varsity Assistant Coach. He remained on staff until 2019, contributing to the 2018-19 team that won the school’s third-ever Regional title.
Outside of his work with Hot Shots Sports, Eddie enjoys crushing his friends in fantasy sports, playing basketball and golf, and spending time with his wife, Katie, and their daughters, Nicole and Danielle.
Jackie Hudepohl is originally from the Bay Area and grew up playing many different sports, including basketball, volleyball, and track through high school. Basketball was always her favorite due to the wide range of individual skills, teamwork, and strategy involved.
Jackie attended Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied math and computer science and played as a guard on the basketball team. The highlight of her college basketball career was advancing to the NCAA D3 Sweet Sixteen. Jackie has lived in Chicago for the past four years and works at a finance company downtown. She has two years of experience coaching middle school club basketball, along with helping run various basketball camps, clinics, and Special Olympics events over the past decade.
As a coach, Jackie emphasizes the development of solid fundamentals and creates a challenging but safe environment for players to grow skill-wise, as teammates, and as leaders. Outside of basketball, she enjoys cycling, reading, and spending time with her two kittens, Popcorn and Panther.
Before graduating from Dominican University in 2022, Ken began his coaching journey in 2021 by founding an AAU program alongside his father. His competitive coaching experience spans from 3rd grade through 12th grade players, complemented by his work as a mentor and trainer to collegiate and overseas professional athletes.
Originally from Los Angeles, California, Ken played high school basketball at St. Monica Catholic High School, where he was a four-year varsity player. His basketball career continued at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, where he earned All-Conference Defensive Team honors, before transferring to Dominican University to finish his collegiate career. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Natural Health Sciences in 2022. Currently, he serves as an occasional practice player for the WNBA's Chicago Sky.
Ken's coaching philosophy centers on three core principles: instilling pride in defensive play, encouraging creative expression on the court, and demanding 100% effort both in basketball and in life. He is passionate about developing not just skilled athletes, but strong leaders who understand the value of hustle and team unity. Establishing a culture on and off the court to have pride in.
Aside from coaching basketball, Ken can often be found in the gym himself competing in Chicago Men's Pro-Am leagues, traveling to new destinations, or spending quality time with family.
Eileen Upton began her coaching career as an assistant coach for her former high school basketball team and, in 2022-23, coached girls travel teams from 3rd grade to 7th grade. She has also assisted other coaches during skill practices. After graduating college, starting a family, and beginning her full-time career, Eileen rediscovered her love for basketball through watching her sons play and coaching girls' basketball.
Born and raised in Chicago, Eileen attended the University of Indianapolis, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. She continued her education to become an Occupational Therapist Assistant, working with special needs children at a school. Eileen has been playing basketball since the 5th grade. She played all four years of high school, participated in a PBA league (Philippine Basketball Association) for three years while in high school, and played one year of club basketball in college. Her biggest accomplishment in high school was winning “Woman of the Year,” which focused on being a student-athlete.
As a coach, Eileen strives to help each player reach their goals and become better versions of themselves on and off the court. Her philosophy is to always give 110% in everything you do. She believes that working hard pays off and that giving up should never be an option.
