I trained with Elite Instruction up until a few years ago and, just recently, I was finally able to get a chance to make it up to their new place to watch some of their league play.
I must say that, aside from a few professional facilities that I've played on or been around over the years, the Elite Center has not only made one of the nicest looking gyms in the Chicagoland area but also they engineered this court the way the professional teams do it - this is a particular type of court system with springs and high-quality wood that actually reduces the wear-and-tear on a player's legs (which for anyone who has ever trained or wanted to train themselves and do so for hours a day, they worship this type of court, as I immediately did when I stepped on it).
I really can't say how impressed I was with the facility. I was practically drooling over the floor boards. My experience with Ipjian had always been beyond measure - I had the opportunity to train under Mike Ipjian in his earlier days, when I was in high school and college. Mike had the coaching and training skills and insight to make me - a 5'10" (with a couple of pairs of socks), 140-pound kid, into an all-state player in his graduating class, not to mention an all-conference player that was recruited and given the opportunity to play college ball. My work ethic was one of the biggest drivers in most of this; however, Mike's knowledge of the game, understanding of the fundamentals, and ability to develop character were the other main drivers in not only insuring that I'd be a skilled player but also that I'd have certain tools to compete and succeed on and off the court.
As one might already see, I held Mike Ipjian with very high regards, even before I ever stepped foot into the Elite Center. And, with having now witnessed a couple of games in his league, as well as experiencing a few hours of his summer camp, I can honestly say that Mike has taking his program to a point with which he is in a league of his own. I honestly don't think that I was surprised to find that, even now that he has his own gym (which takes a lot in and of itself to run and maintain) and a much larger number of players and people to oversee and tend to, he has not lost his touch to be extremely personal with every single player's game (and personality). But, it was still very impressive to immediately get the sense that the same guy that felt like a big brother to me, who trained me on blacktops in Evanston, was still laser-focused on the fundamentals of his players, the mentality of all of these guys, and the overall flow and quality of the game going on at hand.
Bravo to Ipjian and his Elite Instruction. Everything still has your impeccable touch. read more
