meet our team
playmakers is created and run by the partnership of brain mccormick, ph.d., Aseem Rastogi, and Kyle Kavanaugh. through Brian’s years of research on the age appropriate development of youth sport, specifically basketball, and the emphasis on coach education by essential coaching co-founders Kyle and aseem there exists a natural partnership in creating the most enjoyable experience for young athletes.
Brian McCormick, ph.d.
Brian McCormick founded the Playmakers League in 2009 after the positive feedback that he received for his books Cross Over: The New Model of Youth Basketball Development (2006) and Developing Basketball Intelligence (2008).
Brian has coached CYO, AAU, high school, junior college, college, and professional basketball and created the playmakers curriculum to bridge the gap between the more common technical practice (shooting, ball handling) and the typical team strategy practices (set plays, out of bounds plays, press breaks).
playmakers uses the idea of random training as opposed to the more prevalent block practice to teach the important tactical skills that form the foundation of any offensive system. Whereas block practice leads to immediate performance improvements, random training promotes long term retention and transferability of skills from setting to setting. playmakers is not just a season-long league, but preparation for the players’ next season, league, or program.
playmakers’ goal is to introduce the concepts and train the skills to help players in the developmental process and to provide a learning-oriented environment for youth basketball players that bridges the gap between fun-oriented recreation leagues and more competitive club or school teams.
the playmakers curriculum is designed as a resource for coaches to develop players as move to their next team, coach, or league.
Brian is currently the head of of the boys 16U & 81u Division 1 club, Tartu ulikool in Estonia.
follow brain on twitter: @brianmccormick
Aseem Rastogi
Coach Rastogi is a co-founder of Essential Coaching, co-owner and managing partner of playmakers league, and is currently an Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Brandeis University in waltham, ma. in april 2021, aseem made the jump from classroom teaching to full-time basketball and entrepreneurship. prior to his arrival at brandeis, he was a successful head varsity girls basketball coach in northern virginia, and has worked in every level of basketball except the wnba and nba. he holds a master’s degree in adult & higher education/intercollegiate athletic administration from the university of oklahoma and a b.s. in sport management from old dominion university. in addition, he is a trained anti-racism, diversity and inclusion programming facilitator, specializing in issues surrounding race, privilege, and equity in athletics and education. he brings over 17 years of basketball coaching and athletic administration experience to essential coaching. he currently resides in pawtucket, ri with his wife, becca, and their dog, poppy.
follow aseem on twitter: @rastogi_aseem
Kyle Kavanaugh
Coach Kavanaugh is a co-founder of Essential Coaching, co-owner and managing partner of Playmakers League, and is a back-to-back State Championship high school coach from Louisiana.
He currently serves as the assistant athletic director for strategic communications at his alma mater, Louisiana Tech, where he earned his master’s degree in Industrial/organizational Psychology as well as his bachelor’s of science in biology education.
“Coach Kav” began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs men’s basketball program before moving to the high school ranks where in conjunction with his coaching career he served as a classroom educator for 13 years.
He currently resides in Ruston, LA with his wife Meghan and daughter Kendall.
follow kyle on twitter: @coachk424
“ I love that my players are getting more reps. They love that they are having more fun. The parents love their kid gets more playing time.
It’s a win-win-win.”
— head varsity boys basketball coach, Louisiana