Staff

Chris Brazelton, AKA “Coach Braz,” originally from San Bernardino, CA, has 9 years of Division 1 Coaching experience and 3 years of Division 1 playing experience. Coach Braz concluded his playing career at Fresno State University, earning the scholar-athlete award in 2005. Upon graduation from Fresno State in 2006, Brazelton started Collegiate Coaching Summer 2006 at the University of New Orleans. Following a year at UNO, summer 2007 he was hired as an Assistant Coach at the University of California, Riverside. During a five year span at UC Riverside, Coach Braz developed both guards, as well as big men in the BIG WEST Conference. Spring 2012 he was hired as an Assistant Coach at Drake University in the Missouri Valley Conference. Following completion of a year at Drake, Brazelton was hired in Spring 2013 as the Associate Head Coach at San Jose State University. Concluding the 2014-15 season, Brazelton decided it was time to pursue his dream of creating his own company and pouring into the lives of young people around the Bay Area; BMG.

Following five years as CEO/Director of BMG Academy, the merge in 2021 with Nike EYBL Oakland Soldiers organization, put Coach Braz at the helm of the Silicon Valley Chapter, Santa Barbara Chapter, and EYBL coaching.

Off the basketball court, Braz was recruited to be a part of Pepsi Cola’s college recruitment, business internship program in 2006. He then went on to complete a year of M.A. work at the University of New Orleans, and became an M.A. Strategic Communications Honors Graduate from National University in 2009

Ray Vazquez AKA, Coach V played division 1 basketball 1990-1992 at Sacramento State University as a walk-on. He started all but 6 games in his two year career, and earned a full scholarship even though they had recruited 4 point guards. After graduating Ray decided to get into education where he started coaching. Coach V has coached middle school to high school varsity programs for over 20 years, and in 2020 he started The Academy SYV so that children interested in basketball would have a venue to improve their skills and play basketball.

He is currently the head coach at The Dunn School and two of his student athletes play for the Oakland Soldiers EYBL teams. Coach Vazquez has earned a BA in Communications, a Masters in Education and he holds an administrative credential. He is also in his third year as the Superintendent/Principal at Los Olivos Elementary School

Esron Gates, Coach Gates played at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles, then shifted to the Arts after receiving a full scholarship to CalArts for photography. Attend UCSB and still had a love for the game and played on the Girls practice team the year they went to the Sweet 16. Graduated with a BA in Religious Studies and became a videographer in 2003. Living example of respecting the game while developing other passions off the court. Coached Club teams and High School Varsity programs for the last 6 years. Coach is in his 5th year at Dunn School as a Basketball Coach and teaches Photography, Videography and Entrepreneurship.