Teams, Scores, & Schedules

Lance Akrige
Head Coach

After coaching middle school basketball with Brentwood Middle School the past three season, Lance is excited to take over the role of Head Middle School Basketball Coach (Boys)!

Lance grew up in a Godly and sports' household in western Kentucky, playing basketball, baseball, and tennis in high school. After a brief attempt to play baseball at Murray State University, Lance later served as a Student Manager for the Racers' Basketball Team. After graduating with a degree in business administration from MSU (1991), he received a Masters Degree in Sports Management from West Virginia University (1993). Shortly thereafter, he completed the necessary accounting classes at Lipscomb University and earned his CPA Certificate.

Work career has included: KPMG, Akridge ACE Hardware and Farm Stores (family business), and Upward Sports. Currently, Lance is the President and Club Director of STARS Basketball (established in 2014). STARS Basketball is the largest basketball club in the Southeast, with a mission of “Planting Seeds for Christ Through Basketball.”

Lance has been married to his wife Andrea for 20+ years, and they have three children: Bryce, Luke, and Elise; the family resides in Williamson County. In his free time, Lance enjoys coaching, exercising, and hanging out with his family. He is passionate about impacting athletes' lives through sports and has coached middle school basketball, travel basketball, and travel baseball teams.

Keith Gray
Assistant Coach

Keith Gray is from Chester, SC. Keith has coached varsity girls basketball for 5 years in Huntsville, AL. He also coached varsity boys basketball for the past three years in Nashville, TN. He teaches Upper school Biology and Chemistry.

John Harris
Defensive Line Coach

Coach John Harris is originally from Charlotte, NC. He attended Rhodes College in Memphis for two years, playing Defensive Line for the Lynx. He then transferred to UNC-Chapel Hill where he majored in History and Classics. Coach Harris, during the fall of 2021, was as an Assistant Defensive Line coach at Charlotte Latin School in his hometown. Coach Harris serves as a Faculty Fellow in the Upper School History department while also serving as a middle school basketball and middle school baseball coach.

Jared Mendiola
Assistant Coach

Coach Jared Mendiola claims Highland Park, IL as home, but he grew up all over the world as a military child. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Colorado College in biochemistry with minors in education and Spanish. While in Colorado, he was captain of the baseball team and led multiple youth outreach initiatives focused on mentorship and STEM.

After his undergraduate studies, he began his PhD in chemistry at Vanderbilt University. However, he pivoted to being an educator as a tutor for middle school students at University School of Nashville and a substitute teacher at STEM Preparatory Academy. He joined FRA this year as a Faculty Fellow teaching chemistry and biology in the upper school as well as coaching middle school football and basketball, and upper school baseball.