More than sports. SI Elite Development prepares young athletes from
Southern Illinois to excel on the field, on the court, and in life —
through elite training, mentorship, and real fundamentals.
"Athletics teach leadership, accountability, teamwork,
and life principles that shape young athletes into successful members of society."
— Keith Kiner, Founder & Head Trainer
Who We Are
Developing the Next Generation
SI Elite Development was founded to give Southern Illinois youth athletes access
to elite-level training, real mentorship, and the tools to become confident leaders
— both in sports and in life.
— Elite skill development across 8+ sports disciplines
— Mentorship from Division I and professional athletes
— Youth Mentorship Program — HS athletes earn while they lead
6'6" former Division I basketball player and overseas professional athlete from Sparta & Chester, IL.
Keith brings years of high-level playing experience to every session.
SI Elite Development was built on a simple belief: every young athlete in Southern Illinois deserves access to elite-level development, genuine mentorship, and a community that believes in them.
The Mission
Built for Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois is home to hardworking families, dedicated young athletes, and a community full of potential.
For too long, elite athletic development has been centered in bigger cities — leaving local youth without the same
opportunities as athletes from more resourced areas.
SI Elite Development was created to change that. We bring Division I-level coaching knowledge and professional
athlete experience directly to Southern Illinois youth — so no kid here has to settle for less.
But our mission goes beyond wins and stats. We use sports as the vehicle to teach discipline, confidence,
leadership, accountability, and the kind of character that creates successful adults.
100+
Athletes Served
8+
Sports Programs
1
Community First
Keith Kiner
Founder · Sparta & Chester, IL Native
Keith Kiner is a 6'6" former Division I basketball player and overseas professional athlete from Sparta and Chester, Illinois — two Southern Illinois communities just 18 miles apart that both shaped who he is. Keith spent his final two years of high school in Chester, where the community showed him tremendous love and support alongside his roots in Sparta.
With years of high-level playing experience, Keith has developed a passion for helping young athletes grow both on and off the court.
As a trainer and mentor, his mission is to provide athletes in Southern Illinois with opportunities, knowledge,
and development that go beyond what he had growing up.
Through SI Elite Development, Keith focuses on teaching fundamentals, elite-level skill work, discipline,
confidence, and the mental toughness needed to succeed in sports and in life.
Background
Division I BasketballProfessional AthleteTrainer & MentorSparta & Chester, IL Native
"Athletics are more than competition — they teach leadership, accountability, teamwork, and life principles that help shape young athletes into successful members of society."
— Keith Kiner
What Drives Us
Core Values
01
Discipline
Champions are made in the practice gym. We instill the habits of consistency and dedication.
02
Confidence
We build athletes who believe in themselves — on and off the field.
Accountability
Owning your performance and your actions — the cornerstone of leaders.
04
Leadership
Every drill, every rep, every team moment teaches leadership in action.
05
Community
Rooted in Southern Illinois. Built for every kid in our community.
Excellence
We don't settle for average. Elite standards, elite results.
Join the SI Elite Family
Every great athlete started with day one. Start yours with us.
Every program is designed with your athlete's age, skill level, and goals in mind — from first-time beginners to varsity competitors.
Basketball Development
Ages 6–18 · All Skill Levels
Our basketball program is built on the foundation that elite players are made, not born. Under the guidance of Keith Kiner — a former Division I and professional basketball player — athletes receive training that mirrors what college and professional programs demand, delivered in an age-appropriate, confidence-building environment.
Led by Coach Tony Williams Jr. — a former Division I football player at SIU — our football program teaches the explosiveness, technique, and football IQ that scouts and coaches look for. From youth flag football to varsity high school athletes, we build competitors.
Change of direction, lateral mobility, reaction time
Position Work
Skill-specific drills for QB, WR, RB, DB, OL/DL
Explosiveness
Power development, jumps, dynamic starts
Strength
Functional strength for contact and leverage
Conditioning
Game-speed endurance, two-minute drills, stamina
Football IQ
Film mindset, reading formations, situational awareness
Mental Toughness
Composure, grit, resilience under adversity
Coming Soon
Baseball Development
Our baseball program is in development. Hitting, pitching, fielding, and the mental game — all coming to SI Elite soon. Stay tuned and get notified when we launch.
A dedicated softball program for female athletes at all levels is on the way. Pitching, batting, fielding, and competitive development — coming soon to SI Elite.
Speed and agility are the foundation of elite athletic performance across every sport. This program is designed for multi-sport athletes who want to get faster, more explosive, and more agile — immediately.
This program is built on a simple idea: the best people to inspire young athletes are older athletes who just went through it. SI Elite's Youth Mentorship Program gives high school athletes the opportunity to earn real money training younger kids — while gaining leadership skills, business knowledge, and real-world experience that most young people don't get until years later.
This isn't just a side job. This is your first step into the real world — and we're going to walk you through it right.
Submit a real application — reviewed by Coach Keith. Work ethic, attitude, and character matter most. This process alone teaches you how hiring works.
02
Train to Train Others
Accepted mentors go through onboarding — how to run drills, give feedback, communicate with kids and parents, and lead a session safely.
03
Lead Sessions & Learn Business
You train younger athletes under coach supervision while learning scheduling, client communication, and how a real training business operates day to day.
04
Get Paid & Build Your Future
Earn money every session you work. Walk away with income, experience, a résumé entry, and the foundation to run your own operation one day.
What You'll Gain
✓ Real income — paid per session worked
✓ Leadership & communication skills
✓ Real job application & interview experience
✓ Coaching & résumé-building experience
✓ Deeper mastery of your sport through teaching
✓ Mentorship directly from Coach Keith & Coach Tony
✓ Community reputation as a leader & role model
Business Skills You'll Learn
◆ How to market yourself and your services
◆ Client communication — talking to parents, athletes, coaches
◆ Scheduling, time management, and showing up on time
◆ How to price your services and understand your value
◆ Basic financial literacy — tracking what you earn
◆ Building a reputation and a personal brand
◆ The foundation to run your own training business one day
Why This Matters Beyond Sports
Most 16-year-olds don't get a chance to learn how a real business operates. They graduate high school, maybe go to college, and don't figure out the basics of earning, managing their time, and building something of their own until their mid-twenties — if ever.
This program flips that. You'll fill out a real application, go through a real review process, and if accepted, step into a real working role with real accountability. You'll learn how to talk to clients, how to show up consistently, how to manage your schedule, and how to understand the value of what you're offering — skills that matter whether you go on to play college sports, start a business, enter a trade, or anything else.
Coach Keith built SI Elite from scratch. Part of this program is passing that knowledge down — so that the young athletes coming through here leave with more than just a paycheck. They leave knowing how to build something.
Who This Is For
High school athletes ages 16–18 in Southern Illinois who are coachable, responsible, and passionate about their sport. You don't have to be the best player on your team — you have to be the right person. If you're serious, show up on time, and care about the younger kids coming up behind you, this program was built for you.
Ages 16–18All SportsApplication RequiredPaid PositionBusiness Training IncludedLimited Spots
Ready to Lead, Earn & Build?
Fill out the official SI Elite Youth Mentorship Application. Take it seriously — this is real. Spots are limited and every application is personally reviewed by Coach Keith.
Completing this application is itself part of the experience — you'll get a feel for what it's like to apply for a real position.
Serving, passing, setting, hitting, and team positioning for all skill levels. SI Elite volleyball training is on the way — get notified when we launch.
Former D1 BasketballOverseas Pro AthleteYouth TrainerMentorCommunity Leader
Keith Kiner is a 6'6" former Division I basketball player and overseas professional athlete with roots in both Sparta and Chester, Illinois — two Southern Illinois communities just 18 miles apart. Keith spent his final two years of high school in Chester, where the community embraced him and showed him tremendous love and support alongside his foundation in Sparta. Both towns are part of who he is, and both are part of what SI Elite Development is built to serve.
Through SI Elite Development, Keith focuses on teaching fundamentals, elite-level skill work, discipline, confidence, and the mental toughness needed to succeed in sports and in life. He believes athletics are more than competition — they teach leadership, accountability, teamwork, and life principles that help shape young athletes into successful members of society.
Book & Train with Coach Keith
View schedule, book sessions, and manage payments — all through the Trainerize app.
D1 Football — SIU SalukisHS Football CoachTrack CoachMultiple Award Winner
Former Division I football player at Southern Illinois University and current football & track coach at the high school level. Southern Illinois native dedicated to helping young athletes reach the next level through discipline, development, and mentorship.
Awards & Honors
Big Z Award (Co-Winner)
Offensive Player of the Year
Toughest Saluki Award
Offensive Scout Player of the Year
Most Improved Award
Special Teams Scout Player of the Year
Harry Bobbitt Spirit Award Recognition
Book & Train with Coach Tony
View schedule, book sessions, and manage payments — all through the Trainerize app.
We'll reach out within 24 hours to confirm your session and payment details.
Community Partnership
Support Local Athletes
Your investment in SI Elite Development is an investment in the youth, future, and community fabric of Southern Illinois.
Why Sponsor
Community Impact
When you sponsor SI Elite Development, you're not just putting your logo somewhere — you're putting your business in front of Southern Illinois families every single week. Athletes wear your brand to school, to games, around the community. Your name shows up in our social media content consistently. You become part of the story of every kid we develop.
This is ground-floor opportunity. We are a growing training program with deep community roots — and sponsors who invest early grow with us.
✓ Social media exposure to Southern Illinois families
✓ Logo on training shirts — athletes wear your brand everywhere
✓ Banner placement at training sessions & camps
✓ Named camp & clinic sponsorships
✓ Website listing & recognition
✓ Real community goodwill — investing in local youth
Not every kid who wants to train can afford to. That's a fact — and it shouldn't determine who gets a shot at becoming something great.
Every Kid Deserves a Chance
Southern Illinois is full of talented, hungry young athletes who have the drive and the desire — but whose families simply can't stretch the budget to cover training sessions. These are good kids with real potential who, without support, never get the opportunity to discover what they're truly capable of.
The Sponsor a Kid program allows community members, local businesses, and individuals to directly fund training sessions for youth athletes who need financial assistance. Your contribution goes straight to covering session costs for a real kid in Southern Illinois — no red tape, no overhead fluff.
Coach Keith built SI Elite Development from the belief that no child should be left behind because of their zip code or family's bank account. This program is the heart of that mission. One sponsored session can spark a confidence that lasts a lifetime. Be the reason a kid shows up.
Choose How You Give
Pick Your Support Level
SINGLE SESSION
Single Session
$25
per session · you choose how many
Sponsor one session or as many as you'd like. Every $25 covers one full training session for a kid who needs it. No commitment required.
Commit to sponsoring one session per week and give a kid consistent, reliable training they can count on — week after week, building real progress over time.
Cover a full month of training — 4 sessions — for one athlete. The most complete way to give a kid a structured development experience from start to finish.
All "Sponsor a Kid" contributions go directly toward session costs for athletes with demonstrated financial need. To nominate a child for the program or learn more about how funds are allocated, contact us directly.
Photos & Videos
Training Gallery
Real athletes. Real work. Real results. Follow us on social media for daily updates from the gym.
Basketball Training
Football Drills
Speed Training
Team Camp
Baseball Session
Swimming
Volleyball
Athlete Spotlight
Softball
Upload your athlete's training photos — contact us to be featured.
Follow SI Elite Development on Facebook for updates and training content.
