Posted: Jun 02, 2026
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Erik Kinnebrew, a former Jessup University student-athlete and veteran coach for the Sacramento chapter of the Girls' Nike EYBL-member Cal Sparks, will take over as head varsity basketball coach at St. Francis Catholic High School, athletics director Ryan Chisolm announced Monday.
"I'm impressed by his vision for the St. Francis basketball program," said Chisolm. "His coaching style will allow him to be extremely successful in working with our highest-level athletes to players who are newer to the sport. Erik is the right fit for the Troubadours."
Kinnebrew's appointment begins immediately, just in time for the Sac-Joaquin Section's official summer period, and shortly before the launch of the all-girls prep school's summer camp.
"I'm extremely excited," said Kinnebrew. "It's a new change for me, it's a new change for the school. I'm excited to be at the forefront of a new and improved roster, and success for this organization."
"I want to establish an identity, a culture, a positive trajectory. I want to make sure we're putting in the right pieces and the right fundamentals for how we want to identify as a team."
During and since his collegiate basketball career with Jessup, Kinnebrew served as a coach, marketing coordinator and director of event management for Cal Sparks, the girls' AAU program co-founded by his father Elbert in the late 1990s. Originally the Lakewood Sparks, the club expanded to Fresno, San Diego, Orange County and Sacramento – the latter as a merger with the former Sacramento Elite club.
Kinnebrew's own basketball journey began at St. Anthony High School in Long Beach. He literally grew into the game at Middlebrooks Academy – where he blossomed into a 6-foot-6 guard – before playing collegiate ball at Allan Hancock College. Kinnebrew earned All-Western States Conference honors at AHC, and even performed a triple-double, before relocating to the greater Sacramento area to attend Jessup.
Kinnebrew ranked as one of the conference's three-point leaders as a Warrior junior, but opted to end his collegiate career early during the Covid-19 pandemic. He earned his business degree from Jessup, at which point he was already guiding youth girls' basketball careers with Cal Sparks. Kinnebrew also volunteered with the Special Olympics and with Bayside Church.
"I'm impressed by his vision for the St. Francis basketball program," said Chisolm. "His coaching style will allow him to be extremely successful in working with our highest-level athletes to players who are newer to the sport. Erik is the right fit for the Troubadours."
Kinnebrew's appointment begins immediately, just in time for the Sac-Joaquin Section's official summer period, and shortly before the launch of the all-girls prep school's summer camp.
"I'm extremely excited," said Kinnebrew. "It's a new change for me, it's a new change for the school. I'm excited to be at the forefront of a new and improved roster, and success for this organization."
"I want to establish an identity, a culture, a positive trajectory. I want to make sure we're putting in the right pieces and the right fundamentals for how we want to identify as a team."
During and since his collegiate basketball career with Jessup, Kinnebrew served as a coach, marketing coordinator and director of event management for Cal Sparks, the girls' AAU program co-founded by his father Elbert in the late 1990s. Originally the Lakewood Sparks, the club expanded to Fresno, San Diego, Orange County and Sacramento – the latter as a merger with the former Sacramento Elite club.
Kinnebrew's own basketball journey began at St. Anthony High School in Long Beach. He literally grew into the game at Middlebrooks Academy – where he blossomed into a 6-foot-6 guard – before playing collegiate ball at Allan Hancock College. Kinnebrew earned All-Western States Conference honors at AHC, and even performed a triple-double, before relocating to the greater Sacramento area to attend Jessup.
Kinnebrew ranked as one of the conference's three-point leaders as a Warrior junior, but opted to end his collegiate career early during the Covid-19 pandemic. He earned his business degree from Jessup, at which point he was already guiding youth girls' basketball careers with Cal Sparks. Kinnebrew also volunteered with the Special Olympics and with Bayside Church.
Although a successful player in his own right, Kinnebrew gives a nod to his mother Karen and his older sister Jamie for his connection to girls' and women's basketball. The former Karen Gilbert was the first-ever Division I women's hoop signee at Loyola Marymount in the 1980s, and continues to hold a share of the Lions' single-game school record for steals. Meanwhile, Jamie's participation in middle school basketball launched Elbert's coaching journey. Several decades later, Karen now coaches alongside Erik for the Cal Sparks program.
"It runs deep, and for me, it's natural to be in this space," said Erik. "I grew up running around the courts, which my mom can attest to. It's definitely been home for me."
The Troubadours went 10-17 with a 4-10 mark in the tough Sierra Foothill League in 2025-26, eventually earning a No. 11 seed in the CIF-SJS Division II playoffs.
