Published: Oct. 7, 2010
Coach Valentine played Big Ten Basketball at Michigan State University from 1984-1988.He was Tri-Captain his senior season and was voted Most Valuable Player at the end of the 1988 season. Carlton also played professionally in the World Basketball League (WBL) for three seasons and also played in Sweden for the Visby Basketball Club for 5seasons. Following his pro career Carlton returned to the United States and began his coaching career at East Lansing High School as an assistant coach for 7 seasons. He is currently the Head Boys Varsity Basketball coach at Lansing Sexton.
Carlton was voted Class "B" coach of the year by the Lansing State Journal and also received Coach of the Year from the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan for region 8 in Michigan for the 2009-2010 season.
In the 2009-2010 season Coach Valentine led the Sexton Big Reds to the State Championship game against Detroit Country Day; it had been 50 years since Sexton had made a trip to the State Finals.
In 2006 Coach Valentine founded the Court One Basketball Academy at the Court One Athletic Clubs with the purpose of providing high quality skills development, stressing basic fundamentals through private lessons, group instruction, camps, and clinics.
Several of Coach Valentine's former players have gone on to play college basketball at the Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, NAIA, and Junior College levels. Drew Valentine and Jordan Howenstine (Oakland University), Javaughn Manuel (Glen Oaks CC and Norfolk State) and Austin Nichols (Northwestern University. Annalise Pickerel (Michigan State University), Lindsay McCarty (Grand Valley State), Klarissa Bell (Michigan State University), Kristin Korbata (Spring Arbor University), Kelly Bennett (Calvin College).
Coach Valentine believes through hard work, repetition and dedication, young players will build confidence and character to become successful student athletes. He will be providing private, semi-private and group lessons along with camps and workshops for basketball players. See our concierge for more details on how you can become involved with Coach Valentine.