Core Prep Academy: Homage to Oak Hill

By Erik Woods

I never got to meet Steve Smith when he left his bank job to become an assistant coach at Oak Hill Academy in 1983, I was still in middle school.

But me, now this 45 year old man, I've been teaching kinder kids through 6th grade for the last 22 years. I guess being old allows one to appreciate the genius of Todd Wilson and his Core Prep Academy.

Todd is truly a special man - spiritual, caring, yet ultra demanding in a "build you up kind of way." Todd is that dope-dope-dope person who inspires me BIG TIME. if they say reincarnation is possible, I want to come back as "Mr Todd" in my next lifetime.

Wilson decided to start Core Prep Academy after he left his job in finance and marrying his beautiful wife 3 years ago. His goal: Help kids actualize their personal and athletic potential.

Wilson says, "I realize when mentoring kids you need to listen to them. Then they'll see that you want to have communication and that in turn builds trust, which develops into skills.....which fosters improvement. Given enough communication and hard work, your shared goals materialize together.”

Those are wise words coming from a 30 year old. Look around the Core Prep program, it's a buzz with exciting players.

I recently wrote about a cool freshman kid from Harvard Westlake, 6 foot 7 point guard, yeah I know - whoa !!! This tremendous youngster named Johnny Juzang credits so much, raves and raves about his development because of Todd Wilson. Juzang has multiple offers from Pac-12 schools as a 9th grader.

There's lots of cool kids you must know about who are feverishly training at Core Prep.

One is an ultra top top ranked 7th grader and 4.0 student, ..Skyy Clark. He's the rarest of rare talent - I've never seen a youngster have mind blowing handles, dazzle with the rock, or play lock up D since.........Brandon Jennings.

On the "the real" I always thought Brandon would come along, and none could match his skill level, but Skyy is that "Mozart" of hoops. I mention thus because Todd is training him and others daily to be their best.

Skyy's father, Kenny Clark, who played for the NFL Vikings as a wide receiver love-love-loves Core Prep. I admire Skyy's father because he has a heart as big as the state of Florida. That's his home state where he grew up playing with his cousins, former NFL players Dante Culpepper and Julius Wilson, as they were mentored by their uncle Steve Rhem.

Kenny and his cousin developed their skills like Todd instructs, all training to the edge, going at it with everything they had. That's how they roll at Core Prep Academy, giving every single "shred of what u have", or go home please. Really.

Clark sees all the competition and intricate methodology that Todd Wilson employs, structured "elite level scrimmage and training." Kenny appreciates that T-Wilson has this mantra that they all train to "the edge of failure."

To hold back from that edge, you can't be afraid of failure. Embrace it, take yourself to that limit, see what is possible only by shooting for the impossible.

That's exactly what Johnny Juzang did last year. Result: SLAM Magazine featured Johnny in the 8th grade. I predict many of Todd Wilson's kids will be featured in SLAM because they train to the "edge of failure." No less is acceptable.

Kenny Clark says, "It's worth every penny.” He drives Skyy from Calabasas to Northridge every day, gladly pays the $10,000 year for Core Prep in tuition. But what value can you place on getting your kid the best start toward academics, skills, and hoop mastery?

It's like what the Visa commercial says: Priceless. One should know that $30,000 in scholarships were given last year, kids that met financial aid requirements. I like that Core Prep celebrates diversity, all socioeconomic strata are celebrated here, multiculturalism is valued there.

Amazingly, a few kids even take a 2 hour round trip drive from South Central LA to attend Core Prep every day in Northridge. I taught at 36th and Vermont in ‘96, I truly wish all

The kids from my old school could go to Heritage Christian and Core Prep Academy: A scholar's Mecca, a baller's PARADISE !

[Editor’s note: part 1 of Erik’s Core Prep experience may sound like a “paid advertisement” but read his upcoming finish to the story in Part 2 and you’ll understand much more why Erik is so objectively enthused about this topic.]