Coach Edward “Boobie” Francis enters his 1st season as head coach after 3 seasons as an assistant coach for Team Stat/Elite travel basketball team. Coach Francis joined the club in 2007.  Coach Boobie states, “I have been very instrumental in the development of several players in the program.”  Before joining Team Stat/Elite, he was developing and coaching several kids in the Orlando/Winter Park area.  Since 1997, Coach Boobie has been coaching basketball and football in Orange County.  He started coaching basketball in Orlando before moving to Winter Park in 1998. Coach Boobie moved to Winter Park when he met his wife, Tonya Carlisle-Francis,  who hehas been with for 15 years (married 6 years).  He is the proud father of two lovely kids, D’angelo (16) and Edward Jr (8.

Coach Boobie had not planned on coaching basketball when he came to Winter Park.  He remembers going to watch a JR Magic game when the coach of the team walked out on the kids during the game.  The refs were about to forfeit the game due to no coach, when Coach Boobie walked out on the court and volunteered his time to coach them. Coach Boobie recalls, “not knowing the players names, all I asked them to do was PLAY HARD, LEAVE IT ON THE COURT, MAKE YOUR TEAMMATES BETTER, and HAVE FUN.”  The team ended up winning that game and also winning the championship.  Since then, Coach Boobie has been coaching and developing kids in the Winter Park area.  His teams have been winning championships in the JR Magic youth league every year.  About his success, Coach Boobie says, “before every game, I remind the players of those same four goals.”

In 2007-2009, Coach Boobie returned to his alma mater, Oakridge High School, where he coached for 3 years making the playoffs every year (under Coach Matt Turner).  Coach Turner took a head coaching position at Edgewater High School where he asked Coach Boobie to join him as assistant coach. Coach Boobie then left Oakridge High School during the 2009-2010 school year and started coaching at Edgewater High School were they took a 8-19 team the prior year to an incredible 26-4 record, including a district win over 6A champ Winter Park High School (only to get beat by them in the Regional playoffs).  Coach Boobie notes, “the keys to getting kids to play hard for you is honesty, understanding and love.”  He’s known in the community as a leader and winner, having coached Pop Warner football in Pine Hills for 3 years and winning championships every year.  “Making kids believe in themselves and trust their teammates is something that brings out the best in them,” he says. “WHAT I TELL ALL THE KIDS I COACH IS, EDUCATION FIRST AND SPORTS IS ONLY A REWARD.”

Every year Coach Boobie puts on an adult basketball tourney where proceeds go to his youth programs. It’s a weekend of fun where I bring teams from Jacksonville, Miami, Daytona, and Orlando and make a big event of fun with a cash prize presented to the winner.