COACHES

REGGIE "BOOBIE" WYNNS - HEAD COACH

Sole Proprietor of the Rising Stars Recruiting program.

After playing as a wide receiver and graduating from Pontiac Northern High School, Reggie continued to play the game and earned a BA in Business Management from Northwood University.  In 1991, Reggie set out to pursue his dreams to play professional football by trying out for the CFL & NFL League.  Life stepped in and pointed him in a different direction to become the owner of his mortgage company First Choice Mortgage.  After the housing market crashed in 2008, he closed his mortgage company and went back to the football field.  However, this time Reggie became a mentor and began promoting college advancement and encouraging young athletes to participate in various football competitions.

Over the years the Rising Stars Recruiting and Academy Training program has helped more than 1,000 student athletes earn football scholarships, while helping parents navigate the morass of recruitment, financial aid process, tutoring, ACT/SAT prep, and NCAA eligibility requirements. Through the Rising Stars Recruiting and Academy Training approach, good players become great players because we encourage them to manage adversity and to perform when it really matters.

Reg understands the reality that sports is a pathway to success in life. He works to develop the discipline, accountability, and academic success necessary for athletes to excel beyond the playing field.

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CHEYNE LACANARIA - QUARTER BACK

Cheyne Lacanaria is currently the QB’s Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI where he lives with his soon-to-be wife, Danielle.

Lacanaria returns home after spending the 2019 season in Minneapolis where he assisted with Special Teams in an off-the-field role at the University of Minnesota. While there, he contributed to the most successful Gopher season in over a century. He helped the Gophers to an 11-win season that concluded with an Outback Bowl win vs Auburn. He also mentored 2 B1G Special Teams Players Of the Week, including Casey O’Brien who also won the 2019 Disney Spirit Award for his unshakable faith in battling cancer.

Prior to joining the Gopher staff, Lacanaria spent two seasons coaching the Tight Ends at Wayne State University where he served as a Graduate Assistant and earned his Masters in Sports Administration. In his inaugural year with the Warriors, he had four of his tight ends receive Academic All-GLIAC recognition, including two (Preston Pelham and Logan Smith) who earned All-Academic Excellence honors. At the end of the 2018 campaign, Pelham was voted to the All-GLIAC Second Team as well as WSU’s Ron Solack Memorial “#35” Award recipient.

Lacanaria was a four-year member of the Ohio Wesleyan University football team (2013-16) playing at both quarterback and receiver. In his junior and senior season, he totaled 100+ receptions for 800+ yards and also contributed 500+ passing yards in his junior season alone. He started his last 21 games, served as team captain his senior year, and was a two-time Red and Black Award Winner. It only took him seven semesters as a student-athlete to graduate with a degree in Health and Human Kinetics.

Lacanaria was a two-time state champion at Brother Rice High School (MI) and served as a team captain during his senior campaign. He was the starting quarterback for the 2011 MHSAA Division 2 State Championship game win over Lowell, then tossed a 16-yard scoring strike to his brother on the opening drive in the 2012 State Championship game win over Muskegon.

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ALEX NIZNAK - QUARTER BACK

Alex Niznak is a highly motivated, educated, and focused athlete, coach, and public speaker with experience both playing and coaching on four different continents. Over the course of his journey through high school, college, and the professional levels of football Mr. Niznak has traveled all over the United States and the world working to both develop and grow the game of football as well as the young men who play it.

Before his football journey took him overseas, Alex began his playing career at Ithaca High School where he played for Hall of Fame Head Coach Terry Hessbrook. As at Ithaca in 2010 Alex lead his team to an undefeated record and the school’s first ever State Championship. Immediately following his championship game Alex graduated high school in December and enrolled at Central Michigan University in January of 2011. This enrollment fulfilled a lifelong desire to become a Scholarship Division 1 Student Athlete and was the culmination of years of hard work including several in the Rising Stars program.

During his time as a college athlete Alex spent three years at Central Michigan University where he was part of a bowl champion team in 2012 and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management in the spring of 2014. Following his graduation Alex moved to Cape Girardeau, Missouri where he once again accepted an offer to be a Division 1 Student Athlete and play for the Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks. Following his two years as a Redhawk Alex graduated in December of 2015, this time with his Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration.

Directly following the conclusion of his college athletic and academic career Alex began his career as an International Professional Athlete. In the spring of 2016 Alex signed his first professional contract to play for the Tyreso Royal Crowns in Stockholm, Sweden. Following his first season in Europe which produced a heart breaking loss one game before the Championship Alex was on the move again. His next stop would be in Recife, Brazil to play for the Recife Mariners. At the conclusion of his time in Recife at the end of 2016 Alex returned to Michigan where he began training Quarterbacks all over the State of Michigan, including working with Rising Stars again as a QB Coach. In March of 2017 Alex signed a new contract with the Asahi Soft Drink Challengers, a team in the Japanese X-League. This contract made Alex the first foreign born Quarterback in Franchise history. Upon his arrival in Osaka, Japan Alex also began his career in College Coaching as he became a Quarterbacks Coach at Ritsumeikan University. This role was expanded the following year in 2018 when along with continuing to be the QB for the Challengers Alex transitioned into a dual role as a QB Coach and Offensive advisor at both Ritsumeikan University and Kindai University.

Alex Niznak has used football as a conduit to pursue his education, travel the world, and make his passion his profession. He has an unwavering belief that education is the key to bettering one’s life and the lives of those around them, and often football can be the key to getting that education. On the field working with athletes of all ages Alex stresses moving with a purpose and attention to detail in everything. Off the field when focused on the even bigger game of life Alex often speaks of the three pillars to success, passion, dedication, and adaptability. With these three qualities no dream is to large and no task impossible.

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JAMES GONZALES - RUNNING BACK

BIO coming soon…

TYLER WASHBURN - OFFENSE LINEMAN

5 years coaching at Chippewa Valley High School, 3 years at varsity level

3 years coaching for Rising Stars

Attended 2 years at Northwood University, played OL

Attended 2 years Kentucky Christian, played OL

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JEFFERY STOKES - DEFENSE LINEMAN

Born & raised in Ypsilanti Michigan

4 year Varsity Letterman LB/DE

Attended IMG academy for High School

Attended Jacksonville University 2015, played as a true freshman, DE

Attended Valdosta State University 2016-2019

2 starter at Valdosta State, LB

Won 2018 D2 National Championship

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JAQUAN HANKINSON - CORNER

JaQuan Hankinson played college football for Grand Rapids Junior College #1 Junior College in the country and at Urbana University, division 2 school in the MEC conference.  JaQuan played Nickelback, Corner, and Safety.

Due to injury and loss of scholarship JaQuan started his professional football career with the East Carolina Torch and in 2019 played for the Budapest Cowbells in Budapest Hungary in Central Europe where he played Defensive Back Special Teams Returner and also was the Defensive Back Coach

JaQuan also coached three years for Bradford Academy and two for Old Redford Academy both as the Secondary Coach.  During the off season he spent time working with Rising Stars Recruiting – a Michigan based non-profit recruiting and training organization.

JaQuan is also the founder of NoFear ELITE, a program tailored towards individuals focused on success and finding their greatness in self advancement.  He helps athletes and non-athletes reach a high level of health an ELITE level of skills that can be used in everyday life and athletically.

JaQuan resides in Detroit Michigan and has a 4 year old daughter named Faith. He looks forward to helping your children reach their highest potential as men and student athletes.

ANTOINE MASON - WIDE RECEIVER

Antoine Mason joined Lawrence Technological University as the wide receivers coach. Mason spent the 2016 season working under Duvendeck at Culver-Stockton as the running backs coach. During his time at Culver, Mason helped the offense break numerous passing records.

Mason spent one season at Culver-Stockton College (2016). Prior to Culver, he spent time working with Rising Stars Recruiting – a Michigan based non-profit recruiting and training organization.

Mason started his coaching career in 2014 as an assistant wide receivers coach at Southfield High School. He then went on to coach the wide receivers at Oak Park High School during the 2015 season.

Mason played defensive back at Alcorn State University from 2007-2009. He then transferred to Saginaw Valley State University where he played one season as a wide receiver. Mason finished his senior season at Adrian College.

Mason played in the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts minicamp and the Edmonton Eskimos training camp. In 2013, he participated in the Detroit Lions Rookie Mini Camp.

Antoine Mason is the Founder/Coach of WIDE OUT TECH skills training. Antoine is a collegiate coach & Former player that knows what it takes to enhance your skills to the next level.  Antoine’s mission is to Cultivate, Motivate & Innovate all Athletes who aspire to become a technician at their skilled position.

Mason graduated from Saginaw Valley State University in 2016 with a B.A. in Communication. He currently resides in Southfield, Mich. with his wife Dashonda Mason.

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REGGIE ANDERSON - LINEBACKER

BIO coming soon…

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TERRY WILSON - SAFETY

BIO coming soon…

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ISAIAH GOURDINE - SAFETY

Attended Bowling Green State University, graduating in 2017 with a B.A. in Exercise Science degree.

My football experience includes over 20 years of playing and 3 years of coaching. With two years as a position coach for the Rising Stars and completing my first year as a position coach for Harper Woods High School.

I am a certified personal trainer through the ACE Program.