FOUNDER, THOMAS GADSON

Thomas Gadson, Founder and National Director of Basketball Operations established Virginia Elite in 2008 with a mission to be the premier grassroots basketball program based in Northern Virginia and to be recognized as one of the top programs within the Washington, D.C. area, Maryland and Virginia (DMV). 

Coach Gadson is widely regarded as one of the most influential people in grassroots basketball in the Washington, DC area.  He has helped mold and shape many of student-athletes lives.  He has enriched the lives of many basketball players through academic and athletic programs.  He has helped shape West Coast Elite Basketball into one of the premier event operators in the country.  West Coast Elite Basketball is the #1 event operator on the West Coast.

Coach Gadson has mentored numerous current and former professional & NCAA Division 1 college basketball players. Coach Gadson has assisted many  student-athletes achieve scholarships from premier NCAA Division 1 programs.  Coach Gadson is widely regarded as an industry leader and is considered one of the most influential people in the Washington, DC grassroots basketball community.

Coach Gadson is a member of the Dulles-Leesburg (VA) Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi  Fraternity, Inc. 

A native of Savannah, Georgia, Coach Gadson has been involved with basketball for more than 40 years from his youth days playing basketball and football in the YMCA and Police Athletic Leagues (PAL) youth leagues, high school and college. Throughout the years Coach Gadson has cultivated relationships that has filters back to the primary mission of Virginia Elite to create a foundation for student-athletes to develop into college students.

Coach Gadson has coached AAU basketball for more than 25 years. The 2020-21 season will be Coach Gadson 17^th consecutive season as the Head Coach for the 17U Boys Elite team.

EDUCATION Coach Gadson is a graduate of Morris College, Sumter, South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science Degree and Masters Degree in computer information systems. Additionally, Coach Gadson holds several technical and professional management certifications in Program Management, Cybersecurity and Network Engineering and Architecture. As the director of Virginia Elite, he is responsible for all aspects of the program development. 

Before Morris College Coach Gadson attended Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina which competes in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). 

THE PROGRAM Established in 2008 with the mission to establish an elite AAU-Grassroots basketball program based in the Northern Virginia area which provides a pathway to advance educational opportunities. Throughout the years the program is known for producing elite level student athletes. With over 30+ graduating students advancing to play at the collegiate level, the program has now become one of the more prominent programs within the Washington, D.C. are and has gained national recognition from the elite level collegiate programs.

In 2009 Coach Gadson created the Elite Showcase Basketball Classic (ESBC) a National All-Star event that hosted some of the premier high school players in the country.  (Coach Gadson and ESBC MVP Frank Mason, Milwaukee Buck of the NBA and the University of Kansas).

The ESBC gained national attention and was recognized as one of the premier high school showcase events in the county. The list of ESBC alumni included multiple male and female Gatorade POY from across the nation, NBA Lottery selections and currently NBA and WNBA players.