MEET THE FOUNDERS
Jump Thru Hoops was founded in early 2020 by Sheron Lau & Shomari McGee. The unique background between them is what truly differentiates JTH from the rest.
Sheron has spent over two decades working in the Financial Industry and has been involved in philanthropic work for the same amount of time. Along with her work in finance and philanthropy, since February of 2021 she holds the position as Chair of the Canada Basketball Foundation.
Shomari has spent most of his entire career in basketball in the United States. Once a player himself, he attended the University of Louisville, and has spent the past 10 years coaching men and women at Montverde Academy, the Hoosac School, Canada Basketball, the University of Toronto WBB, and the York School. Along with the coaching experience, he has experience training some of the world's best as a passionate and knowledgeable skills trainer, working with many NBA players and pros. Shomari was fortunate enough to be mentored by some of the best coaches in the world. He has spent the past 10 years building his coaching repertoire by learning and taking strategies from renowned coaches.
WHAT WE OFFER
Jump Thru Hoops prides itself on teaching basketball fundamentals in an effective format to ensure success for every player. Our teaching does not stop on the court, we pride ourselves in the mentorship and teaching we provide to our student-athletes off the court as well. Our commitment to youth development and support for the most vulnerable in our community is second to none.
40 YEAR PLAN
JTH’s philosophy is built around a “40 Year Plan” which encourages youth to create their own unique path to success. We focus on teaching skills needed to allow them to carve that path and propel them to success. The skills we focus on, which we refer to as pillars, consist of financial literacy, academics, philanthropy, mental health, nutrition, career counselling and brand building, social media responsibility, and last but not least, basketball.
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ACADEMICS
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FINANCIAL LITERACY
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PHILANTHROPY
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MENTAL HEALTH
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NUTRITION
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CAREER COUNSELLING AND BRAND BUILDING
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BASKETBALL
SOCIAL MEDIA RESPONSIBILITY
Meet our Dream Team of Coaches
Matthew Groe
Matthew was the first standing volunteer, mentor and coach at Jump Thru Hoops, the original member of the Dream Team.
In fact his volunteering days started with his mom, Sheron, when he was just 5 years old at The Darling Home for Kids (a respite and palliative care for medically fragile children).
It was then and there where he developed a passion for helping others.
Matthew is currently furthering his academic and athletic career at McMaster University and on the Men’s Basketball Team. He graduated from Holy Trinity in Oakville in 23’, and also spent a year at Montverde Academy where he developed his discipline and appetite for hard work. He is Coach Shomari’s understudy and has been a permanent fixture at Jump Thru Hoops since it’s inception.
Matthew brings an enormous amount of positivity in his coaching and will be the first to congratulate you on your win, or show his support. Impacting the youth alongside is mom is something he is very proud of.
Hanna Hall
Hanna Hall is another member of our dream team. She is a graduate of ‘21 from the University at Buffalo, where she played 4 years in the NCAA on the Women's Basketball team.
She was also a proud member of our Canadian Women's National Team. In 2019 she won a bronze medal at the 2017 U19 FIBA World Cup. Her studies at the University of Buffalo included Psychology, Nutrition, and Nonprofit Leadership.
Since graduating, she has been the Business Operations Assistant at Canada Basketball, and is currently the Manager of Partnerships and Program Manager at Lay-Up. Hanna has become a passionate advocate for Mental Health and works to empower athletes to use their voices and platforms to speak up for change.
Ben White
Ben brings an impressive background in coaching to our dream team, most recently as an assistant Coach for the Toronto Metropolitan University Rams Women’s Basketball Team, becoming a National Champion in 2022.
Ben actually grew up playing basketball in Thailand, returned to Canada for 10th grade and has been a youth basketball coach for 7 years.
Ben also currently coaches at ABA Knights and the York School, and holds a Bachelor degree in social work from the Toronto Metropolitan University.
Danilo Djuricic
Danilo, another Dream Team member, has been with JTH since May of 2020.
Danilo is a professional basketball player originally from Brampton, ON. He graduated from Harvard University in ‘21 with a degree in Economics and a secondary in Sociology.
Since his graduation, he has played professionally for 2 years in the Czech Republic and in Scarborough for the Shooting Stars. He is a 2017 FIBA U19 World Champion and Gold Medalist with Team Canada. Danilo also is an entrepreneur, he started his own business, building his brand as a student-athlete consultant and mentor, helping student-athletes both on and off the court reach their dreams.
Check out Danilo’s website at danilodjuricic.com
Emily Noon
Emily along with her sister will serve as ambassadors for Indigenous Youth, aiming to boost awareness and encourage greater involvement among young female basketball enthusiasts.
Emily Noon is a nehiyaw iskwew (Cree) born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and is a member of Thunderchild First Nations, located in Treaty Six territory.
In 2023, she graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Arts, Sociology major, and Indigenous Studies minor, along with a Certificate in Criminology and another Certificate in Social Justice.
She cherished her time working with the youth and developing student programming in her roles at Wanuskewin Heritage Park, the City of Saskatoon, and the Canadian Roots Youth Reconciliation Initiative
Madison Noon
Madison along with her sister will serve as ambassadors for Indigenous Youth, aiming to boost awareness and encourage greater involvement among young female basketball enthusiasts.
Madison Noon is a nehiyaw iskwew (Cree) from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and a member of the Thunderchild First Nations, located in Treaty Six territory.
She is completing her final year as a Dance Major at Toronto Metropolitan University. With 14+ years of experience, she is well trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, hip hop, and powwow jingle dress dancing. She has represented Team Canada and competed at the IDO Hip Hop Championships in Copenhagen.
Madison has also been featured in music videos and commercials, and is known for her community workshops inspiring Indigenous youth.