Florida Travel News: Florida United & Candace Parker Hoop Dreams
Florida Travel Team News: Florida United & Candace Parker Hoop Dreams Elite
By Michael Wholey 10/16/20 9:00 AM EST
The 2020 Spring/Summer Travel season has come to a conclusion and as with the end of each travel season, there has been some player, coach, and program movement in preparation for the 2021 season. Two of the most recent moves have been the formation of Florida United and the merger of Candace Parker Tampa Aces and Hoop Dreams Elite.
Florida United
Coach Amanda Boswell has started her own program after most recently working with the Tampa Bay Thunder launching Florida United as a 501-C non profit organization that will have multiple teams. The newly formed Florida United program headline team with be their 16U squad which was set be led by Boswell and Joel Vega. Boswell most recently served as the Middle School Director for the Tampa Thunder and has brought several players with her to Florida United.
The roster is just beginning to take shape but Vega and Boswell have been hard at work combining the local central Florida / Orlando area talent with several players from other teams including Liv Fuller Liv Fuller 5'10" | SF Clearwater | 2023 State FL and Beckham Hockley Beckham Hockley 5'7" | PG Sickles | 2024 State FL coming over from the Tampa Thunder Phenoms 16U squad as well as Madelyn Leslie Madelyn Leslie 5'10" | SG Gulf Coast | 2023 State FL that played with Miami Suns Team Larkins 16U squad.
Since the publication of this initial article, Vega who was scheduled to co-coach with Boswell and assist with running the program has since left the organization. Joel Vega has been a central figure in central Florida / Orlando area having led several programs of his own as well as joined on with other clubs. He long led Blue Star Florida then merged with FGB / South Beach Elite and most recently has been leading teams under B4B.
In addition to the 16U squad, Florida United has begun workouts for Middle School hosting workouts for grades 6-8 on the weekends.
Candace Parker Hoop Dreams Elite
Hoop Dreams Elite has one of the most talented 2022 rosters in the state and has good young talent in the 2023 and 2024 classes. Marcus Parker has been the program director for the Candace Parker Tampa Aces and had some nice young 6-8th grade teams. Recently some of the Aces young talent has departed for other programs. I am not sure what players come with Marcus and the Aces but the big key is the association with Candace Parker.
Merging Marcus and Candace Parkers name with the talented Hoop Dreams Elite squads on the Adidas circuit will be an intriguing combo. Bruce Gillard and Darren Evans Hoop Dreams squads led by 2022s Ajalon Gillard Ajalon Gillard 5'9" | CG West Orange | 2022 State FL , Stefanie Ingram Stefanie Ingram 5'7" | CG Lake Highland | 2022 State FL , Milahnie Perry Milahnie Perry 5'7" | CG Carrollwood Day | 2022 State FL and potentially Paris Gaines could be a serious contender on the national landscape next spring / summer.
We will continue to keep you updated with all things Florida Prep Hoops. If you feel any of this information is incorrect or you need to contact us directly, please let us know by DM’ing us on twitter @PGHFlorida and @WholeyPrepHoops or email Michael Wholey directly at WholeyPrepHoops@gmail.com.
*This article was updated November 1, 2020 to update that Florida United is led by Amanda Boswell and Joel Vega is no longer part of the organization.