MEET THE TEAM
Meet the team behind T.P Athletics—a group of dedicated coaches and athletes bringing together high-level playing experience, collegiate competition, and strength and conditioning expertise. Through a combination of skill development, performance training, and mentorship, our staff is committed to helping athletes improve their game, build confidence, and reach their full potential both on and off the court.
Nyjah Porcher
Owner of T.P Athletics
Player Devlopment Coach
Coach Nyjah Porcher is the founder of T.P Athletics and a dedicated player development coach with a strong basketball background at both the collegiate and high school levels. She attended Capital Prep before finishing her high school career at New Britain High School, where she earned all-conference honors. She continued her career at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), where she developed into a dominant player, averaging a double-double and helping lead her team to a Region XXI Championship and an appearance in the NJCAA National Tournament (Elite Eight). Following her success at the junior college level, she earned a full scholarship to Barry University (NCAA Division II), where she made an immediate impact. During her senior season, she played in all games, contributing across every category and recording one of the program’s rare triple-doubles, becoming only the third female in school history to achieve that milestone. Following her collegiate career, Coach Nyjah expanded her impact through coaching, working in South Florida with Coach Garcia at DB Hoops, and Hialeah Gardens High School. She is currently coaching at Saint Paul’s Middle School, leading the varsity basketball team as well as her 14U AAU team at T.P Athletics. As the founder of T.P Athletics, she is committed to helping athletes develop their skills, build confidence, and reach their full potential both on and off the court.
Dwayne Hunter-Parker
Strength and Conditioning Coach
Coach Dwayne, owner and founder of On The Rise Health Club (OTR). Through a strong partnership with T.P Athletics, athletes are provided with access to specialized training in strength and conditioning, speed and agility, and structured weight training programs designed to enhance overall performance. In addition, youth athletes are introduced to the OTR training environment through our basketball camps and day-off programs, creating opportunities to experience this level of training firsthand. While OTR operates independently and is open to all athletes, this partnership allows us to further connect our athletes to high-quality training resources and development opportunities. In addition to his work in performance training, Coach Dwayne also serves as the Assistant Coach for the T.P Athletics 13U and 14U Boys Basketball teams. In this role, he applies his expertise in strength and conditioning, speed and agility, and overall player development to help athletes translate their training into game performance. He currently serves as the Head Coach for the Saint Paul’s Middle School Boys 7th Grade team, where he leads and develops young athletes in both skill and character. Across all levels, Coach Dwayne is committed to building disciplined, confident, and well-rounded players both on and off the court.
James Jones
Player Development Coach
Coach James is a highly accomplished and versatile guard with an elite basketball background and a strong passion for the game. He attended East Catholic High School, where he led his team to back-to-back Division I State Championships (2022–2023) and earned State Championship MVP honors both years. His standout performance also earned him recognition as CT MaxPreps Player of the Year (2023) and Connecticut Basketball Player of the Year (2023). Honors Hoop Hall Classic MVP (2023) CT Coaches All-Star MVP (2023) CT Coaches All-Star Defensive MVP (2023) GameTime Player of the Year (2023) AAU Experience He competed with the New York Rens and helped lead the team to a Final Four appearance at Peach Jam. Worcester Academy Following high school, Coach Jones played at Worcester Academy, where he was named Team MVP (2024) and led the team in rebounds, assists, assist-to-turnover ratio, steals, and minutes played. Coach Jones is currently a sophomore starting guard at Central Connecticut State University, where he continues to compete at a high level while helping athletes improve their skills, confidence, and basketball IQ. Coach James currently works with our 8th grade AAU team, focusing on developing young athletes both on and off the court. In addition to team coaching, he provides individual training sessions for high school athletes, working with both boys and girls. His approach emphasizes skill development, fundamentals, and building confidence, helping players take their game to the next level.
Nazir Russell
Player Development Coach
Coach Naz Russell was a standout athlete at E.C. Goodwin Technical High School in New Britain, graduating in 2025. During his senior season, he established himself as one of the top performers in the area. He led all scorers with an impressive 28.4 points per game and surpassed the 1,000-point career milestone in February 2025. His performance earned him CTC All-Conference honors as well as Team MVP recognition. Beyond scoring, Russell demonstrated his all-around ability by averaging 6.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game over his high school career. Now competing at the collegiate level, Russell is a 5’11” freshman at the University of Connecticut at Avery Point during the 2025–2026 season. He has already made an immediate impact, highlighted by a 29-point performance in a win over Roxbury Community College in December 2025. Coach Naz currently leads Tuesday and Thursday group training sessions from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM, in addition to coaching the 7th grade boys developmental team. He has a strong understanding of the game and is passionate about helping young athletes build a solid foundation in their fundamentals.
Christopher Porcher
Mental Performance Coach
Chris currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at CMHA, where he provides strategic leadership across programmatic services and administrative operations, supporting the organization’s mission to advance behavioral health initiatives. He holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Saint Joseph, along with a second Master’s degree in Business Management. Chris is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). At T.P. Athletics, Chris serves as the Sport and Performance Psychologist, working closely with athletes to develop mental resilience, sharpen focus, and enhance overall performance. He emphasizes team bonding, improving team chemistry, and provides one-on-one support to help athletes reach their full potential both on and off the court.