Coaches Information Rodney Perry

Perry joined 68’s staff directly from Western Illinois University where he was assistant coach during the 2007 – 08 season. Prior to his most recent stint, Perry served for three seasons as assistant coach for Duquesne University. His college experience has also included a season (2002-03) as assistant coach at Southwest Baptist (MO) University.

The Forth Smith, Ark., native began his coaching career in 1994 as an assistant in the Missouri high school system. He coached at Willard High School and Springfield Central High School before landing the Head coaching position at Purdy High School in 2001-02. He led Purdy to its best record in 10 years before jumping to the collegiate ranks.

In 1994, Perry began the Springfield Rockets AAU program and was named national AAU Coach of the year after leading his team to the 1995 AAU national championship. In 10 years under Perry, the Rockets produced 42 players who went on to compete at the collegiate level.

Perry, who attended Fort Smith Northside High School, played two years at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith before transferring to Missouri State where he helped the Bears to a pair of postseason appearances. In 1992, he was part of Spoonhour´s 23-8 NCAA Tournament team, and in 1993 he served as co-captain for a team that posted a 20-11 mark and advanced to the quarterfinal of the NIT. Perry led the team in steals both seasons and was a two-time selection to the MVC All-Defensive Team. He was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Tournament team after helping Missouri State to its first postseason MVC tournament title in 1992.

Perry has worked with a number of players from the Kansas City area such as Reggie Chamberlian (Wichita State), Rahmon Fletcher (Wisc. Greenbay), Justin Hurt (Tulsa), Jared Cole (Iowa), George Goode (Louisville), Matthew Webb (UMKC), and coached Spiece Mo*Kan AAU 17u team this past summer with players such as Ivo Batic, Alec Burks, Neil Watson, Shaun Adams, Josh Gibbs, Dillon Starzl, and Will Spradling.

Christina Jansen Mackiewicz Ms. Mackiewicz is the Program Coordinator for the Future Stars Program at 68’s Inside Sports. Her experience includes teaching basketball individual and group lessons, coaching from grade school to college level and playing at the NCAA Division I level (University of Kentucky). Ms. Mackiewicz is originally from Louisville, Kentucky where she played and graduated from Mercy Academy High School. While attending Mercy, she led the Jaguars to a Kentucky State Championship in 1992 and earned 1st Team All State, MVP of State Tournament 92, 1992 Gatorade State Player of the Year and USA Today Kentucky Player of the Year. Ms. Mackiewicz played as a four year starter at the University of Kentucky and earned her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education. She refined her basketball knowledge and educational methods while coaching at Ball State University, University of Cincinnati, Bishop England High School (Charleston, SC) and the College of Charleston. She has over eight year of coaching experience and has been responsible for recruiting, post and guard play, as well as basketball operations. Ms. Mackiewicz currently resides in Shawnee with her husband and two children.

Tim Blackwell

Blackwell grew up in Cameron, MO.  At Cameron HS, he was a 3-time, 1st Team, All State selection and is currently the school's all-time leading scorer.  Tim attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City (UMKC), where he was a four-year starter.  He is currently 9th on the All-Tim scoring list and one of nine people to score at least 1,000 career points. 

He graduated with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and has traveled as far as Treviso, Italy, to play professionally.  He also spent some time in the NBA Developmental League, where he was drafted by the Dakota Wizards.  He had a short period with the Indiana Pacers during training camp, where he was coached by long-time NBA coach, Jim O'Brien, and one of the NBA greatest legends, Larry Bird.  We are thrilled to have Coach Blackwell join our staff here at 68's Fieldhouse. 

Damion Brown Damion graduated from Bellevue East H.S. in Bellevue, NE, where he lettered in three sports: Football, Basketball, and Track, and was a 12-sport Athlete Award Winner. He spent parts of his collegiate football career at The University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and The University of Nebraska at Omaha, playing the Running Back and Kick Returner positions. He played the later of his collegiate sports career playing basketball for the Johnson Bible College Preachers during the second half of the 2005 season and all the 2006-07 season, where he helped the Preachers to their first Mid-East Regional Championship in 10 years, finishing with a 23-11 record, and also earning a 5th place seed in the NCCAA National Championships and rankings.

Damion has an AS in Missions and Bible from JBC and is working on a BS in Middle Eastern Culture/Studies with a minor in Education (History).  To further his qualifications as a trainer and coach he is also earning his Peformance Ehnacement Specialist (PES) and Certified Personal Training (CPT) Certifications form The National Academy for Sports Medicine (NASM).

Coach Brown has worked in a Director/Trainer position for the last two years and is now Coaching Premier teams in the Metro Area. Coach Brown has always had a passion for basketball and its life lessons which can be shared with all peoples of all ages and athletic levels. His philosophy for coaching/training is rooted in a thorough knowledge of the game, because from their talent is more efficiently used and stars are born.

Jim Huber Jim Huber is a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas where he was a three year varsity starter earning honorable mention All-State honors his senior year. He then went on to play at Allen County Community College and Avila University. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication with an emphasis in Business and an MBA in Marketing from Avila. After playing in college, Jim began to coach men’s basketball on the college level at Avila University. He was assistant basketball coach for 3 years and head basketball coach for 2 years while serving as assistant athletic director. Jim than served as an assistant men’s basketball coach on the UMKC staff for 3 years. At both UMKC and Avila, Jim worked with developing players in individual workouts. Jim currently coaches an elite summer high school basketball team and various youth teams.

Laura Fenton

Coach Fenton, from Lincoln, NE, attained her first AAU National title in 1977 with the Lincoln Joys, as well as becoming the National Free Throw Champion (96-100) and being named the tournament MVP.  She went on to play men's college basketball at Union College and graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education and a coaching endorsement from Union College and Nebraska Wesleyan University.  In 1988, she was granted a Master of Arts degree from Western Michigan University in Physiology, Biomechanics, Kinesiology and Athletic Training.  Fenton was a college professor for 15 years and coached men's and women's basketball at Andrews University and was the Head Women's Basketball Coach at Atlantic Union College in Massachusetts, leading them to their first divisional playoffs.  She has also coached AAU elite-level teams in both Massachusetts and Oregon and from 1993-2008 was a member of the United States Olympic Racquetball team, winning 16 National Titles, 5 World Titles, medaling in 3 Pan American Games and qualifying for 3 Olympics.

Matt Suther Matt was a 1st team All-State Selection in Kansas in 1996-97, he then went to Butler County Community College before transferring to UMKC for his final three collegiate seasons. Matt started every game in his three-year career at UMKC and finished in the top ten in several statistical categories including scoring and assists. After finishing his playing days Matt completed his Master’s Degree in Sports Management in 2003 and now along with his full time career in Finance runs camps, clinics and individual workout sessions. Matt also coaches an elite summer high school basketball team in which there are 4 kids being actively recruited by Major Division I Universities and several others being recruited at the Division II and Junior College Levels.