Skills Sessions
Skills training for boys in grades 5 through 8, led by Northridge Prep head varsity coach Will Rey and skills trainer Anthony Maniscalco. No team commitment required.
$750 for a minimum of 30 sessions. Limited to 20 players.
When
Mostly Mondays and Thursdays
with some Wednesdays and Fridays
Sessions
Minimum of 30
September 14, 2026 through March 1, 2027
Who
Boys in grades 5-8
2026-27 school year
Where
Northridge Prep School
8320 W Ballard Rd, Niles, IL 60714
Skills Work. That's It.
Skills Sessions are exactly what the name says. Nights in the Northridge Prep gym working on individual development with our coaches. No rosters, no league games, no travel schedule. Just reps.
This is for the player who wants real instruction from the Jr Knights coaching staff without joining a team. If your son plays for another feeder program, he can still train with us. If he isn't playing organized ball at all right now, he can still train with us.
Skills Sessions sit under the Northridge Jr Knights Feeder Program umbrella. Same gym, same coaches, same standard.
Coached by the Northridge Staff
These are not run by outside trainers brought in for the season. Your son works with the coach who runs Northridge Prep varsity basketball and the skills trainer for our feeder program.
Will Rey
Head Varsity Coach, Northridge Prep
Four decades of coaching across high school and NCAA Division I. Coach Rey has led the Northridge Prep varsity program since 2004 and is a member of three halls of fame. Your son works in the same gym, with the same coach, as the Northridge varsity team.
- ◆Head Varsity Coach at Northridge Prep since 2004
- ◆Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame
- ◆Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame
- ◆Five-Star Basketball Camp Hall of Fame
- ◆Former Division I head coach, Loyola University Chicago
- ◆500+ career high school head coaching wins
- ◆436-204 record at Northridge with 8 IHSA Regional Championships
Anthony Maniscalco
Skills Trainer
Nearly two decades in player development, trained under world-renowned NBA coaches Tim Grover, Mike Procopio, and Jeff Pagliocca. Coach Maniscalco brings NBA-caliber training methods to the Northridge Prep gym.
- ◆Nearly two decades in player development
- ◆Trained under Tim Grover, Mike Procopio, Jeff Pagliocca
- ◆Assisted workouts with Stephen Curry and Dwyane Wade
- ◆Skills trainer for the Jr Knights feeder program
Hear From Coach Rey
Coach Rey sat down with the Beyond The Game podcast for an hour on coaching, character, and what he has learned in nearly 50 years in the gym. A few moments worth your time.
Why the team matters more than the sport
“You're on a basketball team right now, but life is a team sport.”
Coach Rey on what he tells his varsity players, and why the habits built on a team carry into marriage, family, and work.
Leaving Division I to come back
“I found the greatest personal and professional fulfillment in the least likely of places.”
After head coaching at Loyola University Chicago, Coach Rey chose to return to the high school level. He explains the decision, and the book that took him ten years to act on.
Process over outcomes
“We talk about the process with our players all the time, not about the outcomes.”
Winning matters and he makes no apologies for preparing to win. But he is direct about why it is not the point, and why the process itself is the lesson.
What today's players need that his generation didn't
“Look at all the resources available to players today. Strength training, speed and agility, the mental aspect, sports psychology.”
Coach Rey lists what a complete program looks like in 2026, unprompted. It is the same list the Jr Knights are built around, including a nutritionist he is bringing in for the varsity team this season.
Coaching for character
“What defines you is ultimately the relationships and the impact that you have on people.”
"Coach for character" is the phrase he has adopted for the Northridge program. He explains what it means and what happens to coaches who never find it.
Building something that outlasts him
“The day is going to come when I'm no longer the coach here, but we want to build the program such that it continues far after we're all gone.”
The clearest statement of why a feeder program exists, from the coach whose program it feeds.
Clips open on Beyond The Game with John & Carlton, where the full 50 minutes episode is available. We are grateful to John and Carlton for the conversation.
What a Session Looks Like
Format
Usually two sessions per week. Mostly Mondays and Thursdays, with some Wednesdays and Fridays. What we commit to is the total: a minimum of 30 sessions between September 14, 2026 and March 1, 2027. The week-to-week schedule flexes with gym availability, and the full calendar goes out to every registered family.
Training Focus
Sessions alternate between general basketball skills and shooting, led by Will Rey and Coach Maniscalco.
Who It's For
Boys in grades 5 through 8 during the 2026-27 school year. All skill levels welcome. Players do not need to attend Northridge Prep, try out, or play on a Jr Knights team to participate.
What It Is Not
Skills Sessions do not include team practices, league games, uniforms, or a roster spot. Those are part of the Jr Knights feeder teams, which are filled through tryouts.
Cost and Availability
$750 per player
That covers a minimum of 30 sessions from September 14, 2026 through March 1, 2027, gym space, and instruction from our trainers. Payment plans are available upon request.
Limited to 20 players. We keep the group small so every player gets coached. Spots are confirmed in the order registrations come in.
Already on a Jr Knights Feeder Team?
Skills Sessions are included in your program fee. There is nothing extra to pay and no separate registration. Your son's skills workouts are these sessions, on top of his two team practices per week, 25-30 games, Sunday night training, and mental performance sessions. See the full feeder program.
Register for Skills Sessions
Fill out the form below to claim one of the 20 spots. We'll confirm by email and send the session calendar and payment details.