University of South Carolina (Upstate)
NCAA DI • NULL
Date: October 7, 2026
Would Recommend
Tags
Three of our daughters have played Division I college sports across basketball, track, and soccer, reaching the NCAA tournament, yet none of them ever crossed paths with someone like Sharif, hands down the best coach any of them have ever had. If a kid is used to being handed things or isn't ready to put in the work, he is not the right fit, but if your child is hungry to grind, he will literally bend over backwards for them, from offering mental health days and summer check-ins to calling when our daughter's grandmother fell sick and increasing a teammate's scholarship after a car accident just to keep her in school. At the same time, he demands absolute top-tier effort through an all-in philosophy—not a toxic, cutthroat do-or-die environment, but a space where mistakes are forgiven as long as you give your best and stay completely committed. Because of that, his favorites aren't based on politics or natural talent; they are simply the kids who match his level of dedication, meaning his all-in approach is earned through trust rather than fear. As a father, I love that balance because he prepares them for the real world where effort actually matters, but he does it while genuinely loving, protecting, and watching over them as they grow.