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Our Methodology
The training methodology used by the Alabama Basketball Institute is built around long-term athlete development rather than short-term competition results.
ABI focuses on developing players over multiple years, beginning in elementary school and continuing through middle and high school, with an emphasis on skill mastery, confidence, and personal growth.
Instead of cutting players early or recruiting only the most advanced athletes for tournament teams, ABI uses a tiered development system that allows players to progress at different speeds while remaining connected to the program.
Our Mission
Our mission is to elevate basketball in Baldwin and Mobile Counties through intentional player development. We believe an individual player’s success, scholarships, are directly connected to the success of their high school team. By prioritizing early development, ABI aims to produce players who help their high schools compete for and win state championships. Our mission is to positively impact basketball along the Gulf Coast, one player at a time.
Our Strategy
The Alabama Basketball Institute’s strategy is to develop selfless, position-less, and skilled players by blending American basketball fundamentals with European training principles. Through the structure, discipline, dedication, and teamwork demanded by the game, ABI develops not only better players, but strong leaders.
Founder and Director of Basketball Training
Paul Houlsen
Paul brings a rare combination of international professional coaching experience and local youth development leadership to the Alabama Basketball Institute.
From 2010–2020, Paul coached professional basketball teams in West Africa’s Liberian Basketball Association, leading his teams to three consecutive National Championships and earning Coach of the Year honors each year. His teams competed in FIBA-sanctioned games against clubs from across Africa and the United States, while he also conducted youth basketball camps in Africa and Europe.
After returning to Baldwin County in 2020, Paul earned certifications through AHSAA and NFHS and began coaching locally at Bayside Academy, Spanish Summer JV, and Cottage Hill Middle School.
Through these experiences, Paul noticed a significant difference in the way young players are developed internationally compared to the United States. In response, he founded the Alabama Basketball Institute (ABI) in 2022 with a clear mission: to develop confident, skilled players through a structured, long-term approach.
Paul has since worked with athletes from 15 Baldwin and Mobile County schools and, in 2023, created a long-term athlete development curriculum beginning in 3rd grade. ABI’s goal is simple but ambitious—to build a strong foundation for young players and positively impact local middle and high school basketball programs for years to come.