Coral Glades is one of the newer schools in Broward County and hasn’t really accomplished much as far as athletics. But just like all other schools, someone was bound to come in and change the culture for sports. As far as basketball, that person was Stefan Whittingham, otherwise known as Coach Ham, and the way he impacted the basketball program in the short amount of time he was here is eye-opening. 

He changed the basketball program forever, and he will continue to strive for even more success as time goes on. Coach Ham first arrived at Coral Glades before the beginning of the 2022-2023 basketball season, and since then, he has had the same goal to improve each year, regardless of the players that he has. 

Taking from what he’s learned over the years as a professional basketball player and assistant coach, he knew how hard it was and how much work needs to be put in to be successful, not just on the court but off the court too. Coach Ham  is always doing his best to keep his players around the right people, and he makes sure that they are doing what needs to be done in the classroom. To do so, he has grade checks every 2 weeks, and if they aren’t up to the right standard, there will be consequences.

Over time, players eventually bought into what the coach had always preached about, and they would all work very hard, both in and out of the classroom. As far as on the court, Coach Ham took training and working out to a different level, having 2 workouts a day. Before and after school, three days a week, when other schools would be relaxing. In the mornings, it was basketball skills, and in the afternoon, it was conditioning.

Even though this seems like a lot to deal with, Coach knew that this would help the team in ways they didn’t even know, which is why he has become extremely successful. In Coach Ham’s first season at Coral Glades, he helped go from a 6-17 record to an 18-10 record and the school’s first-ever district championship. To think he did this all in just one year is crazy. After losing most of his seniors before the 23-24 season, Coach started a rebuild for the next season, where he had 6 incoming freshmen playing varsity basketball, and their record dropped to 14-14. 

However, Coach Ham wasn’t worried at all as he started to bring in new players. This took the time to a different level, and they had the best record in Coral Glades history, going 20-8 and making it the furthest in the playoffs that they’ve been. In that year, Coral Glades also made its second appearance in the Big 8 tournament. The tournament consists of the best 8 teams during the regular season, which are chosen each year in Broward County. Over the years, Coach Ham has developed all his freshmen from the 2023-2024 season, and after the summer, four of his players received Division I offers. This completely changed how people viewed Coral Glades basketball and changed our culture forever. 

As our players receive more offers, they are gaining recognition over time, which in turn provides them with more opportunities to earn scholarships, as it becomes easier for higher-level coaches to take notice of them. Each year, Coach Ham has been able to send every senior he’s had off into college, no matter the situation, because he’s taught them all to play the right way and to be a good kid off the court. 

We asked Coach Ham How did you feel coming into Coral Glades knowing that the school didn’t have a good reputation for basketball? He responded with “I felt like it was the perfect opportunity for me to build something special. I always wanted to change a program that wasn’t known for being good and make it into one that everyone respects. I think we are almost there!”

We asked junior Ciara Boyd Do you think Coach Ham is a good coach? Why or why not? She answered with “Yes, I think he is a good coach. He seems like a determined coach and a mentor to his players; he makes sure that they practice their hardest to bring out their best qualities when it comes to playing in a game. He was the first coach to lead the Coral Glades High School basketball team to a win in districts, and he also worked so hard that the team was able to play in the “Big 8” tournament.”

In conclusion, Coach Ham has only coached Coral Glades basketball for 3 seasons and has made a huge impact. When it’s all said and done, Coach Ham will have the accolades to go down as one of the best coaches to be a part of Coral Glades.