Meet Deon Nelson

My name is Deon Nelson, oldest son of Christa Nelson. I am a Father, Coach, and Licensed Massage Therapist! I love working with People as a whole, but I really enjoy my time positively impacting the next generation! 

I’ve refereed, played, and coached up to the high school level. It has been the best decision I ever made; I love what the game has brought to my life! It’s taught me so many lessons and brought me so many positive relationships that I’ve cherished and garnered starting at the grade school level! 

I played AAU Basketball for the Iowa Mavs for 3 summers- Fresh, Soph, & Junior- and loved every minute of it! Got a chance to play with some great players coming through that program and learned so much about myself and the game as a whole! I was never the “most” talented at any level, but I worked hard for every opportunity to play, and earned the respect of all of my teammates in that process! 

I got my first experience coaching in 2014 with my dad for Iowa Pump N Run after moving to Iowa! After getting that first itch scratched, and loving it, I returned the following summer as well! The following winter AAU season, the director approached me with an opportunity to head my own team- two of them at that- both girls and boys! 

Coaching the game is a different feeling than playing. There’s just something about helping someone achieve the goals they are striving for, whether that’s with an individual player workout, or the team and its success as a whole. I love sharing my love and passion for the game with them, and I like to believe I’ve made my kids love that grind as much along the way! 

I took 2 years off from coaching, but have found my way back to the sideline for Iowa Prep. I’m going into my second summer session as the head coach for the 8th grade black squad! Looking forward to another summer of growth.

Along with this time as a coach, I’ve also picked up refereeing as well, and it is so much fun to be a part of the game from that aspect. This has, in turn, helped me understand the game from another perspective. I can now use that experience when I step into that coaches box, and relate to those referees in a different way. I know how and how not to approach when objecting, or inquiring about any specific call during any given game! It’s greatly improved my coaching as well knowing how the game is being called. 

PGC, where do I start, that was one of my favorite experiences of the last decade! I helped work the Glazier clinic with my brother and father some summers back now. I loved meeting and conversing with all the coaches from around the country, while also getting to meet a few that I’ve personally been following since I was 12 years old! What an amazing experience it was, and it only helped deepen my love for every aspect of this game!