Fran Young
Fran Young has spent the last 19 years dedicated to coaching both boys' and girls' basketball at various levels from ages 5 - 15. He began coaching at Somerton Youth Organization, where he garnered several league championships, as well as one city championship, at the club/ travel level. In 1999, he became the Head Coach of St. Christopher's JV Boys team, where he continued his winning tradition with three Region 1 Championships. During those years, he also served as Assistant Boys Varsity coach, where they experienced similar success.
In 2003, Fran became Assistant Coach of the St. Christopher Girls Varsity, and helped lead them to the Region 1 Championship game in 2006, and the school's first ever Girls Archdiocesan Final Four appearance in 2007. In 2009, he helped coach the Girls Varsity to an undefeated Region 1 season and championship, the first ever in the school's history.
Fran has coached 10 AAU seasons, 9 of which were at the 9U/10U level. For three of these seasons, he served as Head Coach of the Northeast Rockers 9U, an age group added by the National AAU Headquarters in 2005, and each year, the 9U Rockers made appearances in the Mid-Atlantic Championship game, finally running away with an undefeated gold medal in the region in 2007. The 2006 and 2007 seasons culminated in two top-ten National Championship Tournament finishes, and the team earned a 7th place medal at the 2007 National Championship in Ft. Myers, Florida. In 2008, the inaugural Magic 10U qualified for Division 1 Nationals in Orlando, Florida with a bronze medal finish at the District tournament. At Nationals, the team finished 7th in the Classic bracket.
In 2010, Fran coached the 10U to a 4th place finish in one of the region's most competitive age groups, with a near-upset of a skilled Comets team, the eventual tournament runners-up. The team was widely recognized as one of the most improved in the area from the start of the AAU season to the end.
In 2011, Fran and assistant coach Bob Taggart coached a hard-working 9U/ 4th grade team to an undefeated District Championship after breezing through the tournament with some easy wins. The much-anticipated championship game was only close through the first half, and the Magic ran away with a 19 point victory, a gold medal and a trip to Orlando. In the most talented grouping of 4th grade teams in history of this age group's national championship tournament, the Magic rose to the challenge and came away with a 13th place finish in the nation.
In 2012, Fran and Bob returned to coach their talented group as 5th graders. With some new faces on the squad, they were able to introduce some more advanced gameplay concepts as the team traveled throughout the Middle Atlantic region in search of the best competition they could find. After coming up short with silver medals in both a super-regional and the District Qualifying Tournament, the Magic 5th grade went to National in Nashville, TN on a mission to improve their showing from the previous year. Against a very deep pool of competition, they were able to secure an 11th place finish and earned a spot in the 2012 AAU Power Rankings.
This season, Fran hopes to continue his track record of success at the 6th grade level and finish the season with another strong showing at District Tournament this May and the 6th Grade National Championships this Summer.
In 2003, Fran became Assistant Coach of the St. Christopher Girls Varsity, and helped lead them to the Region 1 Championship game in 2006, and the school's first ever Girls Archdiocesan Final Four appearance in 2007. In 2009, he helped coach the Girls Varsity to an undefeated Region 1 season and championship, the first ever in the school's history.
Fran has coached 10 AAU seasons, 9 of which were at the 9U/10U level. For three of these seasons, he served as Head Coach of the Northeast Rockers 9U, an age group added by the National AAU Headquarters in 2005, and each year, the 9U Rockers made appearances in the Mid-Atlantic Championship game, finally running away with an undefeated gold medal in the region in 2007. The 2006 and 2007 seasons culminated in two top-ten National Championship Tournament finishes, and the team earned a 7th place medal at the 2007 National Championship in Ft. Myers, Florida. In 2008, the inaugural Magic 10U qualified for Division 1 Nationals in Orlando, Florida with a bronze medal finish at the District tournament. At Nationals, the team finished 7th in the Classic bracket.
In 2010, Fran coached the 10U to a 4th place finish in one of the region's most competitive age groups, with a near-upset of a skilled Comets team, the eventual tournament runners-up. The team was widely recognized as one of the most improved in the area from the start of the AAU season to the end.
In 2011, Fran and assistant coach Bob Taggart coached a hard-working 9U/ 4th grade team to an undefeated District Championship after breezing through the tournament with some easy wins. The much-anticipated championship game was only close through the first half, and the Magic ran away with a 19 point victory, a gold medal and a trip to Orlando. In the most talented grouping of 4th grade teams in history of this age group's national championship tournament, the Magic rose to the challenge and came away with a 13th place finish in the nation.
In 2012, Fran and Bob returned to coach their talented group as 5th graders. With some new faces on the squad, they were able to introduce some more advanced gameplay concepts as the team traveled throughout the Middle Atlantic region in search of the best competition they could find. After coming up short with silver medals in both a super-regional and the District Qualifying Tournament, the Magic 5th grade went to National in Nashville, TN on a mission to improve their showing from the previous year. Against a very deep pool of competition, they were able to secure an 11th place finish and earned a spot in the 2012 AAU Power Rankings.
This season, Fran hopes to continue his track record of success at the 6th grade level and finish the season with another strong showing at District Tournament this May and the 6th Grade National Championships this Summer.
Bob Taggart
Bob began his coaching career 7 years ago in the Somerton Travel program, where his teams appeared in several championships. He coached CYO basketball at St. Jerome’s for 2 years and appeared in the Region Championship in 2011. He has taken on additional responsibility as Assistant Coach of the 7th grade girls and 9th grade boys travel teams at Somerton.
Bob joined the Magic coaching staff in 2010 as Assistant Coach of the 5th grade team under Head Coach Fran Young, and continued coaching under Fran’s tutelage the last two seasons with the 4th and 5th grade teams again. This group played a nationally competitive schedule, sweeping the District Tournament and emerging as undefeated Champions, earning gold medals and a bid to Division 1 Nationals in Orlando, Florida in 4th grade in 2011. All of their hard work was put to the test at Nationals, where they finished 13th in the nation and have wonderful friendships and memories to share.
Last season, the group again challenged themselves with a schedule that took them on the road throughout the Middle Atlantic District, finding the best competition in the best tournaments. The team earned silver medals in the District Qualifier and Super-Regional tournaments and traveled to Nashville, TN for AAU Nationals, where they finished 11th.
Bob is the proud father on a son and daughter (who has played with the Magic for the past 5 years) and lives in Mayfair with his lovely wife Diana.
Bob joined the Magic coaching staff in 2010 as Assistant Coach of the 5th grade team under Head Coach Fran Young, and continued coaching under Fran’s tutelage the last two seasons with the 4th and 5th grade teams again. This group played a nationally competitive schedule, sweeping the District Tournament and emerging as undefeated Champions, earning gold medals and a bid to Division 1 Nationals in Orlando, Florida in 4th grade in 2011. All of their hard work was put to the test at Nationals, where they finished 13th in the nation and have wonderful friendships and memories to share.
Last season, the group again challenged themselves with a schedule that took them on the road throughout the Middle Atlantic District, finding the best competition in the best tournaments. The team earned silver medals in the District Qualifier and Super-Regional tournaments and traveled to Nashville, TN for AAU Nationals, where they finished 11th.
Bob is the proud father on a son and daughter (who has played with the Magic for the past 5 years) and lives in Mayfair with his lovely wife Diana.