FEEL THE STING!

COACHES

Meet the Upstate Sting Coaches

BARBARA BRYANT

FOUNDER

Barbara A. Bryant is my name. I am a 1981 graduate of Bruton High School in Williamsburg, Va. Upon graduating from high school I received an athletic scholarship to West Va. State College, now a University. I played basketball and ran track while there. I earned my Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education/Safety. After graduation I went back home to pursue my dreams of teaching physical education and coaching basketball. I coached High school basketball for 2 years in VA before moving to NY. In 2003 my son and I relocated to South Carolina, where we currently reside. I work for Spartanburg County District 5 Schools, where I have been a Special Education Teacher Asst., In School Suspension teacher and bus driver. On the coaching level, I was the basketball Student Asst at West Va. State for 2 years, Head Middle School Girls Basketball Coach 2 years, Varsity Asst 5 years, Middle School Asst 1 year and currently JV Asst at Byrnes HS. I also was the inaugural girls Lacrosse coach 6 years ago. I am over the basketball program at my church and now the coordinator/asst coach of our club. I love being able to instill in the young people what I have learned as a player and as a coach. Basketball is my passion and I love the game.

LORI EDWARDS

CO-FOUNDER

Hi! My name is Lori Edwards. I am a 1995 graduate of James F. Byrnes where I had the opportunity to be a 4-year varsity athlete playing volleyball, basketball, and running track lettering all 4 years and winning various awards and holding career records in basketball. Because of my athletic ability and academics, I was able to attend Southern Wesleyan University on a 4-year scholarship in volleyball and basketball, also winning awards on the collegiate level. I began my coaching career as a graduate assistant in my last semester of college and in 2000 landed my first coaching job as the head basketball coach at D.R. Hill Middle School. The following spring, I coached my first AAU team to win various tournaments and the South Carolina State Championship in the 12-year-old bracket. The next year I began coaching volleyball at the middle school level. I coached both sports for a couple of years at the middle school level then moved to JV volleyball and basketball establishing winning seasons and winning athletes. After my first year of coaching AAU basketball, I became the director of Basketball Club of the Upstate which was the home of the Knights AAU teams, training girls and boys who had never played basketball and transformed them into basketball players. I am currently the head girls’ basketball coach for Florence Chapel Middle School and serve as Assistant Director for the Upstate Sting It has always been my goal, to help transform players, not only as basketball players but better individuals. I’m now the Director & Owner of P.O.W.E.R. Camps. (Providing Outreach with Elite Recreation) where I host a mini-summer basketball camp for rising 6th, 7th, & 8thgrade girls. I teach the basic skills of basketball and the girls are equipped to try out for their middle school teams. Also, under P.O.W.E.R. Camps, I host a double dutch jump rope camp called Back to the Blacktop, teaching boys and girls how to double dutch. From this camp Elite Jump Squad was birth. Elite Jump Squad is a traveling double dutch team in the upstate area for girls and boys. I love working with youth in various capacities and seeing their beginning stage and watching them progress. Basketball is my favorite sport and I love teaching others what I have learned from my playing and coaching experience.