Coaches & Trainers

Terrinique “Terri” Battle began playing basketball at age 11 and has built a career centered around both playing and teaching the game. A Chicago native and Simeon Career Academy graduate, Terri went on to compete at the collegiate level at Bowling Green State University and University of Tampa, where she helped lead her team to three conference championships while earning a degree in Criminal Justice & Criminology. She is currently continuing her professional playing career overseas, competing throughout Europe and bringing valuable international experience back to the athletes she coaches.

Terri has coached and trained players at the youth, middle school, high school, collegiate, and academy levels. Her coaching experience includes the Chicago Sky Nike Basketball Camp, Oaklands College Basketball Academy in England, Olive-Harvey College, The National Basketball Academy, and private individual and small-group training sessions. She has worked with athletes of all ages and skill levels, focusing on skill development, basketball IQ, leadership, and confidence-building both on and off the court.

As a coach, Terri is passionate about helping athletes reach their full potential while developing strong character, discipline, and resilience. She believes every player learns differently and strives to create a positive, energetic, and supportive environment where athletes can grow as players, teammates, and leaders. Drawing from her experiences as both a professional athlete and mentor, Terri is committed to helping young athletes build a lifelong love for the game while becoming the best versions of themselves.

Originally from the Boston area, Jayde (they/them) brings over fifteen years of coaching experience to Chicago Sky Basketball Academy.  Jayde played four years of varsity basketball at an elite boarding school and basketball powerhouse, Kent School (CT), amassing four Founders League titles and back to back NEPSAC Championship titles in their junior and senior years. After graduation, they went on to play  four years of basketball at Division III Colby College, helping their team to two NESCAC Finals and two NCAA tournament appearances. In 2013 they graduated with a BA in Sociology and Gender Studies before pursuing their first MA in Higher and Postsecondary Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. This coming fall, Jayde will return to the classroom as they pursue their MSW/ Mental Health Counseling degree at UIC. A new resident of Chicago, Jayde serves as the Director of Programs at Learning Courage, a non-profit membership organization that partners with K-12 schools and youth-serving organizations across the country to promote healthy relationships and safe and supportive learning environments. 

Mariah picked up her first basketball at 12 years old and fell in love with the game almost instantaneously. Her dedication to mastering the fundamentals of basketball developed her into an elite ball handler and point guard at the varsity level for Tinley Park High School, where she started for 3 years and lead as team captain for her junior and senior year. After high school Mariah played 3 years of intramural travel basketball for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), while pursuing her academic career in nursing. Mariah is now a Pediatric Registered Nurse caring for children with special needs. Mariah has experience in coaching youth basketball skills camps, and currently volunteers as a youth coach for 2nd - 7th grade boys, teaching fundamentals and developing new players.

Mariah’s focus as a coach is developing fundamentally sound players, setting the foundation for players to grow in their skill set. With a solid foundation players are able to advance to various playing levels and make an impact on the game no matter where they play. Mariah looks forward to applying her attention to fundamentals to each individual player, breaking down drills and game situations to evolve players understanding of the game, advancing their basketball IQ, and leading to better individual and team play.

Rebecca has coached basketball for over 10 years, primarily at the middle and elementary school levels. She has coached travel basketball and clinics in upstate New York, Des Moines, and Chicago. Currently, she is the Basketball Coordinator and head coach for the girls basketball program at Intentional Sports, which she helped start in 2024. Since then, the program has grown three-fold, and includes travel teams and skills academies, as well as off-court opportunities like attending WNBA games and back-to-school events. Intentional Sports is a nonprofit organization that provides accessible opportunities in sports, wellness, and education to Chicago's west and south sides. 

As a coach, Rebecca focuses on developing players' fundamental skills, knowledge of the game, leadership and confidence. She prioritizes child development as much as basketball skill building and encourages players to bring lessons from the court to other parts of their lives. Rebecca emphasizes that the basketball court should be challenging, safe, and fun for anyone who wants to be on it. She's excited to work with CSBA to grow the game! 

Margot is completing her 16th year of coaching girls’ basketball, primarily at the middle school level. While most of her career has been spent coaching at Sacred Heart Chicago, she has also coached in CPS and Archdiocese Schools. Serving as the Athletic Director at Sacred Heart, she has helped to grow the girls’ basketball program into one of the largest (if not the largest) elementary school programs in the city and surrounding areas. Most recently, Margot served as the head coach of 5-7th grade Sacred Heart teams that went a combined 54-9, including 4 Final Four appearances and 1st and 2nd place finishes in the Chicago Catholic Youth League. As a coach, Margot takes pride in focusing on the development of the individual player, instilling confidence and leadership in all of her athletes and growing their knowledge of and passion for basketball. Margot considers herself a student of the game, whether it’s watching WNBA/College games or her former athletes at the high school/collegiate levels. She’s also had the opportunity to attend many clinics hosted by USA Basketball and is a Gold Licensed Coach. Margot looks forward to bringing her experiences and passion for working with youth to this great organization.

Makenzie joins the Chicago Sky Basketball Academy staff with over a decade of coaching experience ranging from ages 5-18. As a coach, her #1 goal is to help her players develop a lifelong love for the game while also learning the fundamental and team skills necessary for each to reach their fullest playing potential. Makenzie played collegiate basketball at the Division III level for Christopher Newport University, where she helped CNU reach the NCAA Final Four and clinch the Capital Athletic Conference championship in 2017. The Captains also reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2016 and 2018. Makenzie received CAC First Team All-Conference, VaSID Second Team All-State and CAC Second Team All-Conference accolades throughout her career. A recent transplant to Chicago, Makenzie works full-time as a strategic consultant in the sports & entertainment industry and is excited to bring her passion, tenacity and energy to the CSBA family to continue building the next generation of women’s basketball.

Janae has been playing basketball since she was three years old. She is from Phoenix, AZ where she attended Sierra Linda High School and played Varsity basketball all four years. She has an Arizona record for most 3-point makes in one Varsity game (14) that was set during her Freshman year. She played Division I basketball at Loyola University Chicago, and made the All-Freshman Missouri Valley Conference team during the 2018-2019 school year. She currently volunteer coaches at the University of Chicago at the Division III level, and looks forward to coaching at the collegiate level full-time in the future. She brings lots of basketball knowledge to coaching, and has a great time teaching players new skills and ways of thinking about the game. She wants to help the players become their best selves on and off the court!

Henry Henderson recently completed his 25th year in coaching. For the past 12 years, he has been the varsity girls' basketball coach at Northside College Prep in Chicago. He holds the record as the all-time winningest coach in the school's history for both girls' and boys' teams. 

Before entering coaching, Henry worked for over 15 years in the media as a sports producer and reporter at renowned radio stations such as WGN, WLS, and WSCR (The Score). During his time as a producer, he covered five NBA Finals and two NCAA Final Fours, interviewing many legendary basketball coaches along the way. After serving as the executive producer for ABC Radio Sports in New York and ESPN Radio in Bristol, Connecticut, Henry decided to pursue his lifelong passion for coaching.

He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at St. Ignatius College Prep before moving on to become the director of basketball operations at the University of Detroit Mercy. Upon returning to Chicago, he coached at several prominent high schools in the area, including Walter Payton, Gordon Tech, and Regina Dominican. 

In addition to basketball, Henry has amassed over 450 victories as a varsity head coach in softball, golf, and flag football. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College Chicago and a certificate in Sports Industry Essentials from Columbia University in New York. Currently, Henry is the executive assistant to the principal at Resurrection College Prep in Chicago, where he also teaches in the Religious Studies department.

Jammyra's journey started at Simeon Career Academy, where she took Simeon down state for the first time. In high school she averaged 14.2 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 2.5 APG, 3.6 SPG her senior year, and was named to the Illinois News-Gazette’s All-State Girls’ Basketball Honorable Mention Team and  among the leading rebounders in the state. In 2017, she led the team to a 3A fourth place finish at state. She also was selected to the USJN Midwest Spring Showcase All-Star Team. Soon after she started her career at Tallahassee Community College, where she won a Junior College Championship. Jammyra had her best stretch of games at the national tournament, averaging 10.4 points and shooting 62.9 percent (22-of-35) from the floor.  After her 2 years at TCC, she transferred to Indiana State. While there, she averaged 7.3 rebounds per game, which was third in the Valley Conference. She recorded a season-high 19 points against Illinois State. Jammyra took a year off before realizing she wasn’t done with her basketball career. She then played overseas for 10 months during the 23-24 season in France, where she won MVP, and a championship to help bring the team to NF1. 

Coach Bam is the Junior Varsity coach at Thornton High School and a passionate special education teacher who is dedicated to developing strong, confident young women both on and off the court. Inspired by her own coaches who poured into her beyond basketball, Coach Bam carries that same mission forward using the game to teach life, discipline, and resilience.

When her dreams of playing in the WNBA or overseas shifted, she picked up the clipboard with purpose. Now, she’s committed to giving back to her community by mentoring and empowering young athletes, helping them navigate not just the game, but life. She understands the pressures young girls face and uses basketball as a safe space to build confidence, self-worth, and strength.

Known for her tough love coaching style, Coach Bam demands discipline, accountability, and effort every single day because she knows that discipline will take her players further than talent alone. At the same time, she leads with heart, serving as a role model, mentor, and big sister to her athletes.

Coach Bam emphasizes character, hard work, and teamwork, believing that success comes when players commit to becoming better individuals while uplifting those around them. Her goal is simple: to instill greatness, build leaders, and leave a lasting impact that goes far beyond the game.

Rachel is originally from Upstate New York, where she played three years of varsity basketball at Seton Catholic Central. After highschool, she served as the team manager for the women’s basketball team at Colgate University from 2018 to 2022 and captained the Colgate club basketball team, coordinating a regional tournament schedule. Rachel moved to Chicago after undergrad to work in real estate risk management and earned her M.S in Business Analytics from the University of Notre Dame in 2025. Rachel’s main goal is to help players develop a fundamentally sound game while having fun with the process of learning to play basketball. 

Maya has most recently coached girl's feeder basketball in Evanston and has experience coaching summer camps as well. Maya loves teaching fundamental basketball skills, and creating an environment of self-confidence with her players. Alongside teaching, Maya enjoys learning from her players and fellow coaching staff to continue to expand her knowledge of the game. Maya grew up in Grayslake, Illinois where she played basketball through high school and then played co-ed intramurals and recreational leagues while completing her undergraduate degree at Northwestern University. She received her doctorate from Northwestern University, in clinical audiology. Maya loves women's basketball and is passionate about teaching the next generation of players. She is also an enthusiast of watching and attending women's college basketball and WNBA games. 

Erica Robinson is the Chief Operating Officer and Head Coach at 24Life Training and Fitness in Chicago’s South Loop. A former athlete turned elite trainer, Erica began her fitness journey by transforming her own life—losing over 65 pounds and rediscovering her strength through movement. With over a decade of experience, she now works with a range of clients, from everyday athletes to NCAA players, McDonald’s All-Americans, and pros at the NBA Combine. Erica leads 24Life’s mission to make high-performance training accessible to all, empowering youth, adults, and professionals to train like athletes and live pain-free, powerful lives.

Alondra is the founder of Off The Dribble, based in Chicago. She has over a decade of experience playing competitive basketball. She began her playing career in Burbank, Illinois where she played for the George Shimko Basketball School (GSBS), the Burbank Park District, and Reavis High School. Once complete with high school, she joined the Moraine Valley Community College women’s basketball team, where she primarily played as a shooting guard. Once her playing career ended, she transferred to the University of Illinois at Chicago and became the Team Manager for the women’s basketball team for the 2017-2018 season. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Marketing in 2019. Now, she continues to pursue her love for basketball by coaching various Chicago-based programs for local adults and youth that focus on basketball fundamentals. As a coach, she hopes to instill confidence in players, help them improve their skills, and teach them how to make an impact on the floor.