Twenty years of private basketball training in Los Angeles. Shaun Gerardo coaches youth, teens, and adults on the craft of the game and the character that carries it, one session at a time.
Shaun came to basketball the way a lot of kids do: as an outlet. A place to channel feeling, build structure, and find something solid to stand on when the rest of the world wasn't. The lessons the game taught him, patience, focus, resilience, quietly became the ones he teaches.
Twenty years in, he's coached high school, collegiate, semi-professional, and BIG 3 Youth Division athletes. He's played Semi-Pro in the ABA (17 PPG, 10 APG) and held workouts alongside former NBA and WNBA players. He studied at USC, certified through NASM (CPT, CNC, PES), and was named 2025 Coach of the Year by Athletes Untapped.
What separates his work, according to the parents and players he coaches, is the order of the chain. Habit before hustle. Mind before mechanics. Nutrition, energy, and life choices before the thousandth rep. Technique lives on top of everything else, and everything else matters.
Before the jumper, the nervous system. Confidence under pressure, composure through adversity, and the self-talk that actually lets a kid play free. Pain trials, visualization, and calm repetition, practiced in a safe place so the game stops being a scary one.
Strength training is not optional. Not because young athletes need to jump higher tomorrow, but because their knees, shoulders, and ankles need to carry them through a long career. Mobility, tempo, and load, built for longevity and injury prevention.
Nutrition, sleep, and daily choices decide what's available when the whistle blows. Sessions often include electrolyte drinks, real food, and frank conversations about the small decisions that compound into a season, a year, and a life in the game.
Shooting motion. Footwork. Passing. Reading the floor. Pick and roll, post moves, attacking the rim, defense. The detail-obsessed approach that repaired over a thousand shots and turned guards who never thought they could shoot into confident scorers.
The work is quiet, the corrections are quieter still.
In Untapped Stories, Coach Shaun introduced the idea of pain trials, controlled moments of difficulty built intentionally into training. They are not about breaking young athletes down or pushing past what a kid can handle. They are about creating a safe environment where the athlete can struggle, adapt, and discover what they are actually capable of.
When a player experiences discomfort with a coach they trust and a structure they understand, they build something more durable than skill: confidence, resilience, and self-belief. Shielding young athletes from struggle, in Shaun's view, quietly robs them of the exact reps that prepare them for competition, and for the much longer game beyond it.
Three principles taught in every session. Not slogans. A frame for the work, and for the life the game prepares an athlete to live.
Trust even when the path is unclear.
Believe bigger than what you can see.
Keep your word when no one is watching.
Respect is earned through how you live.
Face fear and move forward anyways.
Courage is proven when the pressure rises.
Girls Shooting Development & 3v3 Tournament
Athletes Untapped, Coach of the Year
National recognition for elite youth basketball development.
BIG 3 Youth Division, featured coach
Alongside former pros at celebrity-led youth events across New York and LA.
Houston Pro Camp, guest trainer
Shot-mechanics and footwork sessions for visiting AAU programs.
Oakland AAU Clinic, one-day intensive
Shot mechanics altered on the spot for the entire traveling roster.
San Jose Pro Camp, shooting installer
Worked with a touring camp across mixed age groups and skill levels.
Spring Valley HS, with Louis Lombardi
A community-driven student event with the Sopranos and 24 actor.
Coronado High School, in-season program
Energy, footwork, and efficiency work with Coach Pierre Amir-Coffee.
Building an elevated, premium event series for girls basketball in Los Angeles. More tournaments, more clinics, more young athletes given the stage and the structure to grow into the players they want to be.
Shaun is the angel we needed. He helped my son with his anxiety and freezing up during competition. He has become a better player and a better family member because of it.
My 10 year old son is learning life lessons through basketball. It has changed my relationship with my son. Less outbursts, more open dialogue. Coach Shaun is genuinely interested in his overall development.
My son has light ADHD but he had no problems paying attention. He found it engaging and interesting. A good balance of friendly and encouraging with focused and pragmatic.
I started training with Coach Shaun in my late 30s. His approach is tailored and insightful. I am already seeing significant improvements in my gameplay. A terrific person and a great teacher.
He quickly assessed her physical skillset and growth edges, and also noticed where she can improve her mental game. Most importantly, she was a better shooter after one session.
After a few key tweaks to his stance and release point, my son was draining shots. He responded really well to Coach Shaun's direct, clear, and positive coaching style.
Willing to travel up to 25 miles. Serving West LA, Santa Monica, Pasadena, La Cañada, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Beverly Hills, and the greater San Fernando Valley.
A short note with your athlete's age, experience, and what you're hoping to work on. Coach Shaun reads every inquiry and responds personally, usually within a day.