About Us

Eric Hatley was born and raised in Gurdon Arkansas where he excelled in athletics such as football, basketball and track. While attending Gurdon High School he played under a great coach named John Ware. He received honors in football, basketball and track but basketball was his passion.  After graduation he was selected to play for the International Tour team that traveled to Belgium Europe where he was then selected to play in the All-Star game. After returning from Europe he committed to play basketball for Crowley’s Ridge College in Paragould, Arkansas.  

 

After playing one year at CRC he transferred to Wiley College in Marshall Texas and played for three years. After playing for Wiley College he went on to earn his bachelor degree in Business Administration. After graduation I attended several pro camps/combines to live out my dreams. I was inducted into the Gurdon High School Hall Of Fame. I ended up playing for two semi-pro teams in Texas while holding down a full-time job in juvenile probation.     

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Eric Hatley Sr. is a father of three, motivational speaker, basketball trainer and a business man.  He is the founder/director of the Tip-Off Basketball and has been fulfilling his dream since 2007 which originated in Gurdon Arkansas. He has been hosting a basketball camp each summer for kids ages five to fifteen.  He teaches young girls and boy’s the fundamentals of the game of basketball.  The Tip-Off Basketball camp focuses on mentoring, fundamentals, drills, games, life skills and sharing the word of God.  

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We also teach players how to work hard, how to believe in themselves, teach self-motivation, how to achieve goals and be winners.  In 2014 he established EDH Basketball Club Foundation located in Longview Texas.  He hosts a year-round six week training series for boys and girls the ages five to fifteen.  In addition to hosting basketball camps during the year, I focus on teaching fundamentals, team work, individual skills and making sure that they know that they are a student first! He has currently retired from the Juvenile Probation in Texas after many years of service.