Anyone who has attended a Phenom Hoops event should already be well-informed about Coach Kelvin Mills. For those who haven’t, he’s one of the nicest, most disciplined individuals you’ll possibly meet. He can typically be found running our camps and managing our travel ball events, but his involvement with basketball spans far beyond being the Event Director for Phenom Hoops.
Mills is a highly experienced basketball coach and instructor. In 2022, he enters his 18th year as a coach with the Village Christian Academy with the Varsity Girls Team and 17th year as head coach. In 2005, the girls were NCISAA 1A State Runners-up, and have participated in the state tournament every year during Mills tenure. This past year the Lady Knights came one game short of the championship game, posting a 25-2 record for the season. During Coach Mills’ time at VCA the girls have gone 224-69. Coach Mills has also assisted with the Men’s Varsity program at VCA. Prior to coming to VCA, Coach Mills was an assistant coach for the Women’s Varsity basketball and volleyball teams at E.E. Smith High School where he also coached the junior varsity girls’ basketball and volleyball teams.
In addition to his coaching experience and achievements, Coach Mills has extensive experience at the College Instructional Level as a Camp Coach. He has served as a boys’ basketball camp instructor at Duke University with Mike Krzyzewski “Coach K” (2000-2018); as a girls’ basketball camp instructor at Wake Forest University (2000-04); as a girls’ basketball camp instructor at the University of Tennessee with Pat Summit (2003-2007). He is a graduate of The Point Guard College Level Three and Assistant Instructor at (PGC). Coach Mills has served as an Eastern North Carolina recruiter and instructor with the Hoops & Dreams Show Case Camp; an NCAA-sanctioned college recruitment and scouting program for girls (2000-2014). Kelvin Mills has worked as a Camp Coach, Camp Director, and Tournament Director Phenom Hoops Report for the past 18 years. He has been with Rick Lewis for the first Phenom Hoops Camp in 2004. Mills has served as a camp coach at the Phenom Hoops National camp in San Diageo and the National Five Stare Camp. He has also served as Camp Director for the College Lakes Recreation Center Youth Summer Basketball Enhancement Program, for under privilege kids and run numerous camps, coaches’ clinics and seminars in Fayetteville and Fort Bragg. Coach Mills is a senior member and clinic instructor for the National Youth Coaches Association (NYCA) and he has implemented a training course for new coaches in the Fayetteville and Fort Bragg area.
Coach Mills has an incredibly long list of accomplishments, both in athletics and throughout life, and has worked hand-in-hand with Rick Lewis and Phenom Hoops since its beginning. The professionalism and exuberance he brings to every single event cannot be replaced or overstated. Coach Lewis states, “he’s one of the most loyal, hardworking people you’ll ever meet in life; he’s been with me for over 18 years.” It’s this type of respect Coach Mills has earned over his decades of dedication and commitment to excellence in youth sports and the development of all young people. He is a believer that we must teach them how to win at the game of life.