About Us
"BUILDING THE FUTURE EMPIRE GENERATION OF ATHLETE"
Empire Athletics is a youth sports organization based in the New York area. Our goal is to mold the future empire generation into hard-working, coachable individuals by providing a high quality coaching and training experience for our athletes.
At Empire, we focus on the six pillars of excellence: Effort, Maturity, Passion, Integrity, Respect, and Enthusiasm.
Through training, our coaches will teach lessons that extend well beyond the field/court. We aim to build the future generation of athletes who share their love for the game with everyone they interact with.
We currently offer year-round Basketball, Softball, and Performance training programs.
Meet the Directors
Our team is led by two of the brightest basketball minds in the country, Christina Raiti and Derek Klein. To learn more about their expertise and discover the rest of our talented directors, see below!
Owner/Girls Basketball Director
Christina Rai
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Head Coach of LuHi Girls Basketball
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2023 Naismith Coach of the Year (youngest coach to receive the honor)
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2024 Naismith Finalist Coach of the Year
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2024: First coach/program to have three girls selected to the McDonald's All-American Game from the same school
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Multiple Division I, II, and III prospects sent to college
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Three consecutive years of Top 10 national rankings
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2023/2024: Named to the Silver Media Top 100 Most Influential Names in Girls Basketball
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2023-24: Finished No. 1 in the country in ESPN National Rankings
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Champions of the 40th Annual Iolani Classic
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Three consecutive NYS Gatorade Player of the Year titles
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2023 NYS Federation Champions
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Over 15 ESPN-ranked players developed under her coaching
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2022 Nike TOC Champions
Owner/Boys Basketball Director
Derek Klein
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Boys Basketball Director for 9 + years of Long Island AAU Programs
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Assistant Varsity Coach at national powerhouse LuHi
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12 years of experience in basketball training
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Has trained athletes from elementary to collegiate levels, as well as professional athletes
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Played Collegiate basketball for four years at SUNY Brockport
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Holds a Master’s degree in Recreation and Sports Sciences
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Known for being young, energetic, and extremely talented
Our Team.
Meet our incredible team: Christina and Derek, our Owners/Directors, lead the way, supported by a group of dedicated professionals. Leon Pursoo, Assistant Boys Basketball Director, brings his expertise to elevate our basketball programs. Nick Siozios, Softball Director, ensures our athletes have the best experience and opportunities to succeed as he oversees our entire Softball program. Tykei Greene, EYA Performance Head Trainer, provides top-tier performance coaching to help our athletes reach their full potential. Together, they make a difference every day!
Leon Pursoo
Asst. Boys Basketball Director
Nick Siozios
Softball Director
Tykei Greene
Head Performance Trainer