Our Team

Fred Jones

With over four decades steeped in basketball, Fred Jones has traversed various roles - from player to teacher, coach to trainer - leaving an indelible mark on the game and countless young lives. Here’s a glimpse into his remarkable journey:
PLAYING HIGHLIGHTS
In his high school days, Jones ranked among the top 100 players in Texas, securing two consecutive years as an All-State athlete. His prowess continued in junior college, where his team boasted an average of over 100 points per game, earning him recognition as a JUCO All-American. Later, at Texas Tech University, Jones contributed to a Sweet Sixteen appearance in a stellar 30-2 season, rubbing shoulders with basketball legends like Iverson, Billups, Carter, Pierce, and Boykins.
COACHING ACHIEVEMENTS
A certified three-dimensional coach dedicated to sculpting the 21st-century athlete, Jones boasts a rich coaching history. He has clinched victory and contributed to six Texas state championships across three different sports. With 16 seasons as a head coach, evenly split between boys and girls teams, Jones has amassed a wealth of experience. Notably, he helmed the nation's top-ranked team, achieving an impressive 284-90 win-loss record over eight seasons.
TRAINING PEDIGREE
As a Capturing Kids Heart Trainer, Jones employs transformative methods to connect with athletes on a profound level. Overseeing more than 50 developmental camps and coaching clinics, he has honed a goal-oriented point system to consistently track growth and progress. His training roster boasts top-tier talent, including the likes of Marcus Smart, Lauren Cox, Nick Banyard, and Morgan Easley.
This condensed overview of Jones’ journey laid the foundation for Stubborn Dreamers Academy, encapsulating Diana Shcarf’s sentiment that “Goals are dreams with deadlines.”
Outside the court, Jones resides in Crowley, Texas, with his beloved wife, Natasha, and their six daughters. Their family has recently expanded to include six grandchildren, adding to the legacy Jones continues to build. 
Founder

Vanessa Jones

Vanessa Jones, the driving force behind Stubborn Dreamers Academy, reigns as its owner and head trainer, embodying a passion for the game and an unwavering commitment to excellence that sets her apart from her peers. Despite her youth, Vanessa has already established herself as a rising star in the training realm, exceeding expectations at every turn. Here's a glimpse into her remarkable journey thus far:
Playing Highlights:
  • During her high school tenure, Vanessa's remarkable versatility on the court garnered her a plethora of accolades, including recognition as Newcomer, Offensive Player, and Defensive Player of the Year. She capped off her high school career by setting a district record for the most three-pointers made. She competed alongside basketball luminaries such as Lauren Cox, Ariel Atkins, and Teaira McCowAn.
  • As a pivotal member of the North Texas Shockers AAU team, Vanessa tasted national success, culminating in the team's crowning as the 2012 National Champions.
  • At the junior college level, Vanessa's exceptional skills propelled her to lead the nation in both assist-to-turnover ratio and free-throw percentage, boasting an impressive 95.9% success rate. 
Coaching Achievements:
  • Vanessa has served as the head GIRLS VARSITY coach at Christian Life Preparatory School, head girls middle school coach at trinity christian academy and currently holds the coaching reins as the GIRL'S basketball coordinator at providence christian school. 
    As an AAU coach, Vanessa has navigated the competitive landscape of the Select 40 circuit, guiding teams through intense competition against the top 40 independent programs nationwide.
Training Expertise:
  • Beyond coaching, Vanessa's expertise extends to player development and recruitment analysis, having served as a Recruiting Analyst for Full Throttle. In this role, she meticulously researched players and curated player profiles for submission to colleges.
  • Vanessa has organized and led numerous camps and clinics, leveraging her experience to nurture talent across all levels, genders, and school settings.
Driven by her profound love for the game and an unyielding desire to leave a lasting impact, Vanessa embarked on her entrepreneurial journey by founding Stubborn Dreamers. Her coaching philosophy, encapsulated in the mantra "Make moves or Make excuses," reflects her dedication to empowering athletes to strive for greatness.
Vanessa Jones stands as a beacon of inspiration in the basketball community, poised to continue making waves and shaping the future of the game through Stubborn Dreamers.
DIRECTOR

TRAINER

Coach Jenn

Jennifer has coached high school and AAU basketball in Louisiana and Texas for more than two decades, the past 10years with Higher Goals, where she has coached girls ages 6-18. Several of her former players have gone on to play at the NAIA and NCAA collegiate level, including one who later represented USA Rowing at the Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro Summer OlympicGames.
 
Prior to her coaching career, Jennifer was a standout high school, collegiate and professional player. In high school, she scored more than 2,000 points at Episcopal Baton Rouge, where she was a three-time All-District selection. As a senior, she was named first-team All-State and District MVP, averaging 21 points and 9 rebounds per game. She was also a two-time All-District selection in volleyball and two-time All-Parish in track and field. She earned five varsity letters in basketball, four in track and field, two in volleyball and two in cross country, and is a member of the Episcopal High School Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
Jennifer played NCAA Division 1 basketball at the University of Richmond (Va.) on a full scholarship. As a senior, she averaged 19.7 points a game as the Spiders’ co-captain and was named first-team All-Conference and first-team All-State. She was the team’s leading scorer in both her junior and senior seasons, becoming just the ninth player in school history to finish with 1,000+ career points. She was a two-time All-Conference selection and a three-time All-Conference scholar-athlete.
 
Following graduation, Jennifer signed with the Salpa Basketball Club in Salo, Finland, where she was the team’s leading scorer in her one season playing professionally overseas. 
 
A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jennifer holds an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Richmond, and an MBA from LSU. She spent seven years as a financial analyst with ExxonMobil, before staying home to be a full-time mom. She and her husband, Patrick, have been married since 2000, and they have two sons: Brian, a University of Oklahoma graduate, and Jason, who attends the University of Missouri. They live in Southlake.

TRAINER

Coach Jason

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