Craig Lustman, Founder

clustman@fightingdavids.com

Craig Lustman founded the Fighting Davids Basketball Camp four years ago after his father created the successful Fighting Davids Basketball Program in the 70’s and 80’s at Talmudical Academy.  In early 2007 Lustman and his father Stan, decided to take the idea a step further and create the Fighting Davids Institute, which will provide Summer Basketball Camps and Motivational Seminars to maximize one’s inner and outer potential.
As a player, Lustman competed in the most elite inner city leagues and has attended some of the most highly acclaimed basketball camps in the nation.  He worked closely with the Maryland Terrapins Basketball team during his Study at the University and has played overseas as well.  After completing his undergraduate work at the University of Maryland, Lustman spent 6 months working in Northern Ireland Managing and Coordinating Basketball and Life-Skills Workshops to bring together the Youth of the Divided Society.  Lustman’s approach to basketball is to provide kids with the requisite motivation to improve both on the court and
in their own personal growth.

Stan Lustman  

Stan Lustman coached the “Talmudical Academy School” in the 70’s and 80’s and created the “Fighting Davids” highly successful basketball program. Although they weren’t always the biggest on the court, you could surely bet on their being the toughest on the court. Coach Lustman always seeks to bring out the best from each individual. He sees the positive qualities in each player and builds on their strengths to create a strong belief in their individual importance as well as in the importance of the team as a whole. That’s the attitude we want our players to adopt, both for the camp/clinic and for their lives. Lustman envisions programs that will build lives in addition to basketball skills.

RaMell Ross

As a 6 foot 6 guard, Ross was a top division 1 recruit coming out of Lake Braddock High School in Virginia. He was named a McDonalds All American - Honorable Mention and ultimately landed at Georgetown University where he played his college basketball career. Ross contributed in many big wins for the Hoyas, but unfortunately was sidelined with some major injuries during his tenure with Georgetown. Ross, however, has gained his health back and is currently playing Professional Basketball in Ireland for the Belfast Star and is the league’s leading scorer at more than 33 points per game. Ross has a passion for teaching kids the “right way to play” and exemplifying the work ethic needed to succeed on any level in any endeavor.

Chaim Katz

Coach Katz is currently the Basketball Coach at Goucher College in Towson, Maryland.  For more than twenty years, Katz has been a most successful coach, college scout, personal trainer and mentor, and basketball consultant.  His knowledge to teens, adolescents, and players of all ages is unparalleled.  Katz’s expertise is universally acknowledged, and he is often consulted by other college coaches across the country for his expert advice.

Stacy Hollander

Stacy Hollander played Varsity basketball all four years of high school, winning MVP honors each year.  She was the highest leading scorer ever to come out of Beth Tfiloh and played on a competitive AAU team for several years.  Hollander was recruited by Goucher College and became the starting point guard all four years, averaging more than 12 points a game.  She also tied the record in Goucher’s history for the most assists in one game.  Hollander brings much enthusiasm as well as first hand College Basketball experience to the Fighting Davids Institute. Currently, she coaches High School Basketball and works for a non-profit in Baltimore called “Sports for Kids.”  Hollander also recently has been named an All-American women's basketball player by the Jewish Sports Review. Stacy will be directing the new Lady Fighting Davids Basketball Camp and is looking forward to great clinics with the girls. 

Noam Fishman

Noam Fishman learned his basketball from two of the best coaches in the Washington area. He attended the basketball camps of both Stu Vetter and Dan Harwood; coaches who are world renowned for being the best teachers of the game. In high school, Noam starred on the Hebrew Academy Cougars 2001 championship team and has been with the Fighting Davids Institute since its inception. Noam is rumored to have a complete bookshelf full of volumes concerning basketball strategy and history. Over the past year “Coach Fish” has coached in Northern Ireland for PeacePlayers International, an organization that uses basketball to bridge divides in historically troubled areas. He believes that basketball is great because its participants must develop both their mental and physical capacities in order to succeed.

Other Leaders Include:

Craig Mitnick

Joe Rombro

Daniel Vanderwalde

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