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Tim Chialastri of capitolhoops.com recently caught up with Arize Ifejika , AAU & tournament director at the Hoop Magic in chantilly , VA. Join us as we talk , life and hoops as the Agent Zero to Hero AAU tournament gets set to kick off.



Arize Ifejeka AAU & Tournament Director at Hoop Magic

Capitol Hoops - How did you make your way to Hoop Magic?

Arize - " Sometimes looking back on it I don't even know how. But when I was in college at Florida A & M University I worked a tournament hosted by Team Breakdown back when Brandon Knight and Kenny Bouyton were like 11 and 12 years old I loved it so much I continued doing it more working the Playaz ball for Jimmy Salmons and a few Charlie Weber tournaments. When I was getting ready to graduate a guy I roomed with at UCONN Basketball Camp told me about a company called the Hoop Group. I contacted them about a post graduate internship and they asked for my resume. They were so impressed with what I had done in basketball and I got a great reference from Jimmy Salmons. They had an opening for a position as assistant tournament director I went in for the interview two day after graduation and got the job. I started January 3rd moved up to new Jersey. A few months later we were getting ready for the Pittsburgh Jamfest and a guy kept calling trying to get his team in a week before the event. He kept saying "You use my building for your Top 100 and all the history we've had I can't get in?" Little did I know he would end up cutting my pay checks. It was Curtis Symonds. We started talking then he got in of course and we kept in contact. I called him about 3 weeks later and told him that I was leaving the Hoop Group and I was told to call him because he was in the mist of doing something special and I could help. I went down for an interview the week before the Southern Invitational and during the event he came to my gym I was running at Southern we talked ALOT and the rest was history.. "

Capitol Hoops - What do you hope to get out of this basketball business?

Arize - "Respect and my rightful place in basketball history"

Capitol Hoops - What is your relationship like with the Hoop Group?

Arize - I keep in contact with alot of those guys. Lamar Barrett who runs the Eastern Invitational and Spencer Staggs who runs Rebounds, their 4-court facility in New Jersey were very influencial in who I am today. I came to the Hoop group right out of college and was thrown into the fire in a state and town I had never even visited let alone lived in. They taught me the nuances of the real world and the basketball business. Lamar took me everywhere and introduced me to everyone. He cussed me out when I needed it and really made me feel comfortable. He is like a brother to me and nothing will ever change that. Honestly I would take a bullet for him and I think he would do the same. Thats how close we are. I just wish it could be like that with all those guys but in business it is not that simple and I had to
learn that the hard way.

Capitol Hoops - What is it like working for Curtis Symonds?

Arize - When I first took the job of course I heard of him but I asked people about him and I heard only good things. those compliments did him no justice. He is a cool guy who dispite all his accomplishments is so humble and down to earth. He lets me do it my way but when I get out of pocket he will not hesitate to bring me back to earth. His hunger and passion for the game after all these years is amazing and it is why I work so hard. I want it for him more than me because he took a chance on a 23 year old when most wouldn't. His wife is the perfect compliment, hard but reasonable and they are like a second pair of parents. I feel priviledged working for them and learning from them every day. They are very intelligent people and the more I'm around them the more I see why they are such successful people.

Capitol Hoops - What has the experience been like building the reputation of Hoop Magic from scratch?

Arize - Hard and we are just getting started but the bigger the struggle the bigger the appreciation.

Capitol Hoops - Since you host and operate tournaments for both Triple Threat and DC Assault how do you deal with people saying you favor one organization
over the other or even within the Hoop Magic realm?

Arize - Within Hoop Magic people might crack little jokes but everyone know what is what and who my loyalty is to. It is interesting because I
live in DC and grew up in Maryland so I have relationships with alot of their coaches and went to school or came up with a lot of the current assault, threat or blue devil former players or current players older siblings. Its like back in the early 1900s late 1800s when the US made alliances with certain countries to make themselves untouchable when going to war. To me it is Hoop Magic 1st everyone else second. I am close with the guys at Team Melo too and they are in Baltimore. But best believe we are not so friendly when they come into Northern Virginia to get players.

Capitol Hoops - What are some of the other things you are working on at Hoop Magicbesides tournaments?

Arize - Camps, HS boys Varsity and JV League, and my biggest event next January N.O.V.A. vs The Nation, a High School event stay tuned it will be a classic.

Capitol Hoops - What is your relationship like with the guys at Capital Sports Complex?

Arize- Like I said I am from there I grew up playing there. A lot of these coaches probably don't remember me but I was one of those young kids playing in tournaments and pick up games so I have nothing but love. My sister still plays in the Suburban Coalition Summer League and I watch games up there all the time. I just spoke with the guy who runs it and he invited me to come check out some games next weekend. There is more than enough room in this business for everyone and we have two totally different demographics that we market too. Its not like Hoop Magic is in Alexandria. I would never wish anything bad on who raised me. Those guys are great guys and good business men. Don't be surprised if we do a monster tournament at both gyms and shut the area down.

Arize - Not in college but I will coach the Hoop Magic 14U elite team next year. I'm in it to help put kids in high school and college. I was luck enough to have earned a degree and I know what it has done for me.

Arize - No because once again it is a different demographic and they don't have a guy like me, just kidding Curtis, Patricia and myself went down there for his grand opening. I don't really know him but he is good friends with Curtis.

Arize - I grew up idolizing Hakeem Olajuwon being Nigerian he was a role model for the country and I loved his versatility. Every time I go back I still see huge billboards of him. He is also very intelligent his book is very enlightening and he has a different type of outlook on life. Keith Stevens is another one I can see him being as big as Curtis Malone in a few years. He is another guy who took a chance on me when everyone else said I was too young. He never stops working. I remember when I used to go to Newport games back in the day he still has the same intensity and demanding nature. He's like the black Bob Knight. Clifton Redd or "whitey" who coaches Squash All Beefs. He does so much for those guys and doesn't talk about it. I was trying to bring that team under Hoop Magic last year but it didn't work out. He is a great guy and would be a great college coach even though he doesn't do it for that.

Arize - Great teams, 10 pros, 20 doctors, 20 lawyers and over 500 college graduates.

Arize - It is terrible but the NCAA is getting ready to clean it up. It is baffling how political they have taught these kids to be. Hoop Magic is what the games been missing though. A 7-court breath of fresh air.

Capitol Hoops - What is it like having the privilege of watching so many talented basketball players all over the nation competing against each other?

Arize - I pinch myself every time. With the junior All American Camp as well I'm like wow we have had alot of big time players.

Capitol Hoops - There is alot of hype surrounding the Gilbert Arenas Tournament this weekend , why do you think that is , and will the event be able to live up to the hype?

Arize - I hope so, it should. It is so crazy though, when I first got here people were like Hoop Magic who? Now we have hype all in under a year.

Capitol Hoops - When you are not working so hard at Hoop Magic what type of things do you enjoy?

Arize - Watching competitive basketball whether high school, college or NBA, chilling with my lady, Eboni and going to Hampton VA where my sisters live. They attend Hampton University pharmacy school.