Coaches
Jason Hughes
Head of Basketball Operations
Jason is the founder of Blue Heat Basketball and the Blue Heat Basketball Academy. He currently serves as the Director of Basketball Operations for the Academy. Jason has run and coached Blue Heat for 10 years and has also worked with numerous players, grade school through college, on an individual basis.
Outside of The Blue Heat, Jason was the Head Coach of The Bolles Boys Varsity Basketball Team for seven seson from 2016-2023. His Bolles teams have a combined record of 124-70 over those 7 years with 2 District titles, 5 playoff appearances and one Elite Eight. For 2020-2021 season Jason was named as the Coach of the Year for 4A in the state of Florida by FABC.
As a player, Jason played competitive basketball for 20+ years. He is a local product of The Bolles School where he earned multiple All City designations. Jason was also part of an AAU travel team, Jacksonville Eagles, that won multiple state titles as well as one National Title. The Eagles were ranked in the top 20 in the nation from 1990-1993. Jason was rated by the Metro Index as one of the Top 30 players in the state of Florida for the class of 1994. His playing career continued at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Jason resides in the Ponte Vedra area with his wife, Emilee and three children, Jackson, Anna, and Haley Hughes.
Sean Mullings
Sean was born in Kingston, Jamaica (West Indies). His family migrated to the United States when he was six years old and made Brooklyn, NY their home.
Sean's first exposure to basketball was as a freshman at Xaverian High School, a perennial basketball powerhouse, in the Brooklyn-Queens Division of the Catholic High School Athletic Association. The CHSAA featured some of the best high school players in the city, at that time. Some of the marquee players were: Kenny Anderson, Jamal Mashburn, Malik Sealy, Adrian Autry, Brian Reese, Jamal Faulkner, Derek Phelps, and Khalid Reeves, to name a few. Sean was not selected to be a member of the Xaverian Freshman Basketball Team that eventually went on to win the CHSAA City Freshman Championship. This setback inspired Sean to work harder and improve his game. As a sophomore, Sean again tried out for the Junior Varsity Team and again was not selected to be a part of that team. The disappointment of not making the JV team further drove him to prove he had the ability to be a basketball player. Sean became a "gym rat", he was the first one in the gym after school and the last one to leave in the evening. When he was not playing basketball he was watching it on TV. Sean's greatest disappointment came his junior year when he was the last person cut from the school's "Varsity B" Team. Sean was told by the coach that he was good enough to be on the team but not good enough to unseat other players that have been a part of the school's program for two years. That was the last straw! Sean decided then, that as a senior, he was not going to be good enough to play, he was going to be an impact player that could not be passed over. As a senior, Sean was selected as a starter for the Varsity B Team and after a couple weeks he was invited up to be a part of the Varsity Team. Sean ended up playing for both varsity teams that year. Sean was ranked 75th, by Hoop Scoop, out of all seniors in New York City. During his high school athletic career, Sean also earned varsity letters in two other sports. Sean was a stand-out Middle Blocker for the Varsity Volleyball Team. He competed and won a Bronze Medal, as a member of the 1987 New York City Scholastic Volleyball Team, at the Empire State Games. Sean was also a member of the 1987 and 1988 New York City Junior Olympic Volleyball Team. Sean was a three year letter-man in Track & Field; specializing in High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, and Hurdles.
With only one year of high school basketball under his belt, Sean went on to play collegiate basketball for the NCAA Division I, Long Island University. He played for the Blackbirds for two seasons before transferring to LIU - C.W. Post (NCAA Division II) for his junior & senior campaign, as a Pioneer. While at C.W. Post, Sean played for New York State Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Tom Galeazzi. Sean's junior year, C.W. Post achieved a record of 26-5 while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division II National Tournament. Sean went on to continue his basketball career overseas in England. In 2000, Sean earned a B.S. in Public Accountancy from LIU-C.W. Post. In 2005, Sean completed his MBA (Global Management) from the University of Phoenix.
At the end of his playing career, Sean went on to coach on many different levels. Sean was a player/coach of the Brookdale Bombers, Semi-Pro Basketball Team in New York, for several years. Sean spent six years in South Florida coaching middle school, JV, and varsity basketball. Sean spent the 2005 - 2006 season as the head coach for the Grandview Prep Lady Pride, leading the team to it's first FHSAA District Championship. After moving to Jacksonville in 2006, Sean served as an assistant coach, then the varsity head coach at Bolles for four seasons until accepting an administrative position on the middle school campus.
Sean is currently the 8th Grade Boys Head Basketball Coach at Bolles. He lives in Nocatee with his wife, Jennifer, and their two sons Tristan& Kaden. Sean also has two older sons Sean Jr. and Shane.
Kelly Stevenson
Kelly brings a wealth of experience to the Blue Heat as a successful college coach and player, as well as one of the most heralded high school athletes from the First Coast in recent years. Kelly is currently the Head Girls Varsity Coach at The Bolles School.
Kelly led the Bolles 2013-14 squad to the program's first district title since 1997 and a region semifinal berth. In her tenure, the Bulldogs have made the playoffs in five of the last eight seasons.
Prior to Bolles, Kelly served a one year stint as the director of women's basketball operations at the University of North Carolina Charlotte, helping the 49ers win the Atlantic 10 Conference title in the 2005-06 season. Prior to UNC Charlotte, she served as an assistant coach at Furman University for the 2004-05 season, helping that program to 18 wins.
Kelly is a 2004 graduate of the University of Florida, where she earned a bachelor's degree in exercise and sports sciences. As a member of the Gators women's basketball team, she was a three-time Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll selection and was named to the SEC Good Works team for her community service. As a junior, she was named team tri-captain.
Unfortunately, due to two knee injuries, Kelly was limited to just two seasons of action on the court for the Gators after transferring from Jacksonville University in 2000. Stevenson was the first-ever player to sign with the JU women's basketball team as the program began its inaugural season in 1999.
Locally, Kelly graduated from Nease High School in 1999, where she guided the Panthers to the Class 5A state title as a senior. She was named Most Valuable Player of the state tournament and to the 5A All-State team that season as well. Kelly also earned USA Today All-USA Honorable Mention, was named the 1999 Florida Times-Union Player-of-the-Year, and won the "Jasper" award for Amateur Women's Basketball Player of the Year at the Florida Sports Awards, joining her Nease teammates as a member of the top Amateur Women's Team.
Steve Rydzewski
Steve Rydzewski graduated from The Bolles School in 1994 and was a three year Varsity letterman. During this time Steve was named to various All City and First Coast teams, culminating in being named First Team All Jacksonville, Second Team All-State and McDonalds All American (State of Florida) in 1994.
With over Twenty Five Division I scholarship offers, Steve chose to continue his basketball career at Presbyterian College where he was named South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the year in 1995 and was a member of the 1995-96 South Atlantic Conference Championship team.
Steve is currently the Head Boys JV coach and Varsity Assistant at The Bolles School.
Steve is married to Susan Rydzewski and has a son, Will Rydzewski, who will be playing Blue Heat as well.
Scott Cooper
Steve Printy
Current Head Boys Coach for Palmer Catholic Academy
2015 Catholic School League and Tournament Champions
Adrian Wilkinson
Former player for Jacksonville University Dolphins
Asst Varsity Boys Coach at The Bolles School
Rick Wicker
Rick played basketball at Berea Community High School in Kentucky and is an assistant coach for Palm Valley Academy.
JARED MOSES
Head Boys Varsity Coach at Clay High School
KEVIN COBBIN
Graduate and former player for The Bolles School, c/o 1994. Played collegiately for Washington and Lee.
ASIA MAYE
RACHEL FREEMAN
Current Head Girls JV Coach at The Bolles School. Played collegiately at University of North FL.