Dean Havlik
Dean played basketball extensively throughout his youth and even remembers playing in basketball leagues before he was in kindergarten. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona and at the time played high school basketball at a powerful basketball program that was routinely in the state playoffs and won the state championship when he was a sophomore. He attended college at Arizona State University and then went on to medical school in Philadelphia and medical residency training at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. He and his family moved to Grand Junction in 2001. Shortly after moving to the area, he began coaching in rec and competitive leagues. He initially coached his daughter’s teams but after realizing coaching was one of his passions, he began coaching other teams, both girls and boys youth teams. Coaching basketball brings a balance to everything for Dean by teaching the best game there is and that he loves, being a part of a team and working with others, contributing to the community he lives in and helping the youth and parents of the area be a part a solid system that they can be proud of. Dean founded GJ Blackout in 2011 in order to provide a stable competitive basketball club for the Western Slope, to make available a top program that is affordable and to provide an environment where the players can learn the game and simply learn to be a part of a team. Dean coaches the 8th grade team and essentially runs the day to day operations of GJ Blackout. He lives in Grand Junction with his wife and two daughters.
Brandon Tow
Brandon started his coaching adventure at the young age of 15, coaching his younger brother through the local rec league in Grand Junction. From that point on he knew he loved coaching. Brandon played and coached basketball through his high school years. After graduating from GJHS, Brandon continued coaching throughout his Army career. He has played on several different semi-pro teams all over the United States, also in Korea and Iraq, learning the do’s and don’ts of coaching through his experience. He then continued his coaching knowledge by earning his Sports Management degree from Colorado Mesa University. Brandon’s love for coaching has no bounds, he has coached basketball, soccer, football and baseball in the Grand Valley. And while to some coaching is about the recognition and the win, to Brandon it’s about the growth of the players and the love of the game! Brandon lives in Grand Junction with his wife, son and daughter.
Pat Schmalz
Jennifer Oliver
Kevin Young
Kevin Young grew up in Denver, Colorado, as a multi-sport athlete in a family deeply rooted in the local sports community, running multiple leagues across the metro area. Much of his youth was spent traveling for competitive sports, which fostered his lifelong passion for athletics. He went on to play collegiate baseball at Northeastern Junior College and later attended Mesa State College.
While playing was a major part of his life, Kevin’s true passion lies in developing the next generation of athletes. Over the past decade, he has dedicated himself to coaching, instilling in young players the values of competitiveness, teamwork, and applying lessons from sports to real-life situations.
Since joining GJ Blackout in 2018, Kevin has been instrumental in the organization’s growth and success. Recognizing the need for greater opportunities and higher levels of competition in Western Colorado, he shared in the vision of creating a state-of-the-art sports facility. His hands-on role in the development of The Fieldhouse has been a pivotal step toward shaping the future of athletics in the region.
Today, Kevin continues to coach the sport he loves most—basketball—while making a lasting impact on the community. He resides in Grand Junction with his wife, Leah, and their daughter, Makinna.
Will Narvaez
Will was born and raised on Colorado’s western slope, graduating from Glenwood Springs High School. He recently graduated from Colorado Mesa University with his bachelor’s degree in Sport Management. Will also coaches high school basketball year round; he coaches girls basketball at Palisade High School in the winter and has coached a boys travel team for the past four summers.
