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Meet The Blue Valley North Basketball Coaches
Ryan Phifer
Head Varsity Coach
Ryan Phifer - Head Coach - (19th Year)
Coach Phifer is from North Platte, Nebraska. After high school, he attended Mid-Plains Community College and played basketball for the Knights while earning his Associate of Arts Degree. Next, he attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and played basketball for the Huskers from 1996-1998. Coach Phifer received a Bachelor’s of Science Degree and earned a Master’s in Education Degree from the University of Nebraska.
After graduation he taught math and coached multiple sports at Lincoln Southeast High School in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was the boys’ basketball varsity assistant for four seasons and the junior varsity coach for three seasons. He was also the head girls’ golf coach for three seasons.
During his time at Lincoln Southeast High School, the team qualified for the state tournament every season and he was able to coach three players that were named the Player of the Year in Nebraska along with several All-State players.
In 2006 Coach Phifer became the head coach for the Blue Valley North Mustangs. He has helped guide the Mustangs to seven state tournament appearances in his 18 seasons. They finished 3rd place in 2010 and 2012, 2nd Place in 2014, and 4th Place in 2017 and 2023. In 2020, they were in the Final Four before the season was suspended by Covid. In 2021, he led the Mustangs to the State Championship, which was the 2nd State Title in school history. He was named Eastern Kansas League Coach of the Year in 2014 and was named Kansas 6A Coach of the Year in 2021. In 2021 he was also named the GKCBCA Eddie Ryan Coach of the Year for Kansas.
His teaching duties include Strength and Conditioning 1 and 2. He is married to Michelle who also teaches in the Blue Valley District.
Together they have two children, Ayden and Jace.
After graduation he taught math and coached multiple sports at Lincoln Southeast High School in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was the boys’ basketball varsity assistant for four seasons and the junior varsity coach for three seasons. He was also the head girls’ golf coach for three seasons.
During his time at Lincoln Southeast High School, the team qualified for the state tournament every season and he was able to coach three players that were named the Player of the Year in Nebraska along with several All-State players.
In 2006 Coach Phifer became the head coach for the Blue Valley North Mustangs. He has helped guide the Mustangs to seven state tournament appearances in his 18 seasons. They finished 3rd place in 2010 and 2012, 2nd Place in 2014, and 4th Place in 2017 and 2023. In 2020, they were in the Final Four before the season was suspended by Covid. In 2021, he led the Mustangs to the State Championship, which was the 2nd State Title in school history. He was named Eastern Kansas League Coach of the Year in 2014 and was named Kansas 6A Coach of the Year in 2021. In 2021 he was also named the GKCBCA Eddie Ryan Coach of the Year for Kansas.
His teaching duties include Strength and Conditioning 1 and 2. He is married to Michelle who also teaches in the Blue Valley District.
Together they have two children, Ayden and Jace.
Brandon Clifford
Junior Varsity Coach
Coach Clifford was born and raised in the Northeast Arkansas area, where he graduated from class 5A Paragould High School. There, he played basketball as a 3-year starter and broke the scoring record at 1,637 points. After high school, he then moved to Kansas to attend Pittsburg State University and play basketball for the Gorillas from 2016-2018. Next, he attended Baker University and played basketball for the Wildcats where he was the leading scorer in ppg from 2018-2020. At Baker University, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education and is now teaching PE and Strength & Conditioning at Blue Valley North. He is also the Head coach for the girls golf team at Blue Valley North, and the assistant boys golf coach as well. He is married to his wife Lauren who is a Physical Therapist, and they now live in Olathe with their Australian Shepherd, Archie. Coach Clifford and his wife also have a baby boy on the way and is due in February.
Caleb Socha
JV/Varsity Assistant
Coach Socha is from St. Louis Missouri, where he attended Parkway West High School and played basketball all four years. After graduating from high school in 2016, he attended school at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Illinois. He played one year of basketball at Lincoln Land before eventually transferring to Truman State University located in Kirksville, Missouri. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and a Masters Degree in Physical Education.
During his time at Truman State he served as an Assistant Coach and Player for the Men's Basketball Program. Also, during his time at Truman State, he was a part of 4 NCAA tournament teams, a conference regular season championship, conference tournament championship, and an NCAA regional championship team that reached the DII Elite 8.
Most recently, Coach Socha spent the past two seasons coaching at Shawnee Mission North as the JV Head Coach and Varsity Assistant Coach posting two of the best records at SMN since the 2018-2019 season. He also spent time in Ireland coaching sessions for the Drogheda Wolves and East Galway Celtics.
Zack Carr
JV/Varsity Assistant
Coach Carr was born in Roanoke, Virginia. He played Basketball and Baseball at Lord Botetourt High School. After graduation he attended West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. He received his Bachelor's degree in Athletic Coaching and Education. While attending WVU, Coach Carr played and then began coaching the club basketball team. After earning his degree he moved to the Washington DC area and began coaching at Bishop O'Connell High School as the JV coach. A year later Coach Carr received a full time teaching and coaching position at Woodson High School in Fairfax, Va. He was there as an assistant from 2016 until 2025. Coach Carr moved to Olathe in the summer of 2025 with his spouse Jacqueline and stepdaughter.
Shannon Cordes
Sophomore Coach
Coach Shannon Cordes graduated from Washburn University where he received a Marketing/Finance degree and played basketball under Coach Ballard for 3 seasons. Before transferring to Washburn, he played one season at Neosho CC and one season at Hesston CC. Shannon is from Lawrence, Kansas and attended Free State High School. He was a member of the all-league team helping the Firebirds to a third-place finish at the state tournament under coach Sam Stroh.
Zach Witters
Freshmen A Coach
Bio Coming Soon
Kenny Roberts
Freshmen B Coach