Coaches

RYB is coached by some amazing people. Read on to learn more.

Head Coach

Sean Ramey

sramey@alumni.rice.edu

Coach Sean graduated from Rice in 2005 with degrees in business and political science. He then went on to earn his MBA from UH in May of 2008. He is the owner of Global Resource, Inc., a telecommunications company. Coach Sean played high school football at Westfield High School where he led the school in rushing yards his junior year and in receiving yards his senior year. At Rice he played football as Wide Receiver and throughout high school he played in several small basketball leagues. Coach Sean has been coaching since 2000 and in all 20 years his teams have won the championship in at least one tournament or more.

Assistant Coaches

Dina Abdelsamad

dinama@alumni.rice.edu

Coach Dina graduated from Rice in May of 2007 with a Bachelor's in Psychology. She currently works hard to make sure kids eat their veggies as Research Coordinator for the Children's Nutrition Research Center where they are testing video games related to health. She played Varsity Basketball in High School and captained several intramural sports teams throughout college. She was captain and quarterback of the Martel Violent Femmes Powderpuff Team. She chooses to focus her practices on the fundamentals of basketball that were ingrained in her since the 3rd grade.

Reem Moussa

Joining our program in 2013, Coach Reem is a current Junior at Rice University majoring in Electrical Engineering and is a current member of the Rice women's basketball team. Growing up in Dallas, Texas, she has played internationally for Egypt's U19 team in the FIBA Africa Championships. As a point guard she mentors players in learning the importance of assists, ball handlng and other offensive techniques.

Megan Palmer

A Houston native, Coach Megan joined our program in 2013 and is a current Sophomore student on Rice University women's basketball team. Along with Jessica Kuster, she led the Owls team in scoring with a combined nearly 800 pts between the two of them in 2013. She attended Cinco Ranch high school and was a 3 year team captain and two time MVP during her career there. Dedicated to community service, she was also a volunteer in the PALS program to help underprivileged children and continues that service through our program. As a post player she focuses on teaching defensive techniques and coordinates team drills for our practices.

Jessica Kuster

Named Conference USA's Defensive player of the year in 2013, Coach Jessica joined our program in 2013 and is a current Senior student on the Rice University women's basketball team. Along with Megan Palmer, she led the Owls in scoring with a combined nearly 800 pts between the two of them in 2013. She was named MVP of the Rice Women's basketball team in 2013 and has consistently been a primary focus of every teams' defense that the Lady Owls face. As a post player that also plays wing, she focuses on teaching a combination of post moves and driving to the basket, while also teaching general defensive and offensive techniques.

Phil McNeal

phillip.mcneal90@buc.blinn.edu

Coach Phil is a multi-year veteran player under Coach Sean's original team that was able to set a unique record of being the only team in Hoop It Up history to make it into the semifinals with only two active players on the roster. He is a sophomore at Blinn college transferring to the Art Institute of Houston for media arts and animation. Coach Phil attended Westfield High School his senior year where he gained Student of the Month Honors and Spring High school his first years where he was the President of Future Business leaders of America. He played high school basketball at Westfield High School against some of the top players in the nation. He has worked with some of the top high school coaches attending coaches clinics and has been able to meet and observe the techniques of professional Athletes including: the Harlem Globe Trotters, Tracy Mcgrady, Robert Reid, Charles Gipson, Harvey Williams and Yao Ming. Coach Phil specializes on individual defensive techniques and individual offensive fundamentals.

Margarita (Maggie) Gomez

misshouston55@yahoo.com

Coach Maggie is currently a sophomore majoring in Social Science in San Jacinto college's main campus in Pasadena, Texas. Originally from Long Beach, California, she played for Merced College for one year before transferring to San Jacinto College and is presently their starting center for their Women's Basketball team. Coach Maggie has played in many Hoop It Up tournaments, including the 2007 World Championships in Miami, Florida. She is an expert at the post position and the offensive and defensive techniques in general.

Leonard (Leo) Pralour

pralour3423@yahoo.com

Coach Leo is the newest coach to join the RUH Youth Sports Foundation family. He graduated from Midwestern State University in 2005 with a degree in criminal justice. Currently, he works for the City of Houston Mayor’s anti-gang office as a juvenile case manager at Jones High School. He played high school basketball at Hirschi High School in Wichita Falls, TX and was District 4A Co-MVP and area-wide MVP in 2000. He played collegiate ball at Midwestern State for 4yrs and tried out for the Chinese basketball league in 2007. In addition to his volunteer work with us and work with the City of Houston, Coach Leo has been working with kids at the Boys and Girls club during the summer months since 2005. He shall assist players in team work and rebounding skills.

Intern Coaches

Ben Williams

Raphael Morales

Ana Forero

Current student at The Woodlands College Park, Ana played with Rice Blue Storm 2008. Finishing the season winning the Team Heart Award, she has joined our coaching staff as the first female intern coach in our eleventh season. Her focus is in helping the players understand the fundamentals of ball handling and man to man defense.

Previous Coaches and Intern Coaches

Craig Wilson

Sherry

Devale Graves

Dat Diep