Our Coaches
Mike Staffenbeal
16U Head Coach
18U Assistant Coach
Coach Mike is entering his 12th season as a Lightning Basketball coach, with over 300 games of head coach experience throughout all levels of the Lightning program. Mike's high school teams have achieved both team success, with consistent top half finishes in the Division I National Homeschool Basketball Tournament, as well as individual success, with several all-tournament team and most valuable player selections... But most importantly, Coach Mike is incredibly proud of the teamwork, character, integrity and growth in the scriptures of all of the players he has had the pleasure of coaching in the Lightning organization! Mike is recently retired as a Finance Executive from a Fortune 200 company and now has time to spend helping Nebraska entrepreneurs be successful in their endeavors, while still finding time to enjoy hunting, fishing and teaching the scriptures.
Jay Mancuso
18U Head Coach
16U Assistant Coach
Coach Jay's involvement in the Lightning organization literally spans almost his entire life! Jay began his time with Lightning Basketball as a young grade school player, working to develop his basic basketball fundamental playing skills. He continued to play for Lightning through Junior High and High School, becoming an extremely accurate shooter, while participating in several National Homeschool Basketball Tournament game experiences and developing life-long friendships with his teammates in the process. Holding true to the Lightning Philosophy, Jay began giving back to the Lightning program after graduating by becoming an assistant coach. Transitioning from a player role to a coaching role within the Lightning program afforded Jay a unique perspective that has driven him to "pass on" both the life and basketball lessons he learned as a Lightning player to the players he now coaches.
Cory Eikmeier
14U Head Coach
Coach Cory has been coaching youth sports for over a decade. Cory's belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and his faith are the foundations of his coaching style... he expects that his players display character, attitude and actions that are respectful to their coaches, teammates, referees and others... but most of all, honoring to the Lord. Cory and his wife Erica have been blessed with six children (4 boys, 2 girls) and he has been a coach for Lightning Basketball for the past four years. Coaching is a true passion for Cory! His goal in coaching is to use the environment of youth sports to train and prepare youth for the game of life.
Matt Lehmer
14U Assistant Coach
Having been a part of the Lightning Family for going on eight years now, Matt has been coaching for the past seven years. Matt's coaching experience includes coaching the junior high team to a PAL League championship, as well as coaching grade school and high school teams. Besides the opportunity to spend quality time with his own sons, Coach Matt works to help each and every player on his teams improve as an athlete. More importantly though, Matt coaches with the Lightning Philosophy as the center piece of his interactions with his players, working to bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Rodney Wyatt
12U Head Coach
Coach Rodney's experience with basketball is extensive. He was a MCSAA High School Varsity Missouri State Basketball Champion as a high school student. He then moved on to play basketball for Maranatha Bible Baptist College and Ottawa University. His coaching experiences include being the assistant high school coach for Tri-Baptist HS, head coach for numerous Air Force base teams at places like Whiteman Air Force Base in Kansas and Aviano Air Force Base in Italy, and a youth basketball and baseball coach here in Omaha. He is also a National Alliance of Youth Sports member. Coach Rodney's primary goal as a coach is to build camaraderie and character through challenges and competition, while emphasizing that every member of the team deserves to be treated with encouragement and respect.
Courtney Kidd
11U Head Coach
12U Assistant Coach
Basketball has been a part of Coach Courtney's life since the age of 8. He played basketball for Omaha Northwest and Omaha Bryan High Schools as a teenager, and then for Peru State College. Coach Courtney has also coached for the Omaha Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, and was an assistant coach at Peru State for camp and fundamentals programs. Coach Courtney strives to encourage his players through positive reinforcement with a goal of empowering every player to be confident in their abilities so they can perform at their highest level.
Jerod Santo
12U Head Coach
10U Assistant Coach
Coach Jerod is a father of six children, three of which are playing Lightning Basketball this season. Coach Jerod also coached his sons' EAA baseball team for the past five years. In addition to coaching, he regularly teaches Bible class at his church and at his home. Jerod is also the owner of an independent media company for software developers and still finds time to play pickup basketball a few times a week!
Kevin Johnson
10U Head Coach
12U Assistant Coach
Coach Kevin was an active basketball player from an early age through high school. He has coached numerous soccer, baseball, football and basketball teams that his four sons have been a part of over the years. He finds coaching to be a great way to spend quality time with this sons, helping them develop as players, but more importantly, as men on their journey with Christ. He finds coaching basketball to be a great way to continue investing in others. Kevin spent ten years as a pastor and has a passion for helping people take their next steps- whatever those steps may be.
Micah Nelson
12U Assistant Coach
10U Assistant Coach
Coach Micah is new this season. Biography coming soon!