Petr Ropek
Founder
Originally from Prague, Czech Republic, Petr developed his game in some of Europe’s top basketball programs under the guidance of elite coaches. He represented the Czech National Team at the U16, U18, and U20 levels, gaining invaluable international experience and a deep understanding of the game.
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After competing in the Czech professional league, he pursued his dream of playing college basketball in the United States, with stops in New York City, Utah, and California. These experiences shaped him as a player, coach and as a person, blending the best of European fundamentals with the competitive spirit of American basketball.
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Petr is the founder of Stanford Park Sports, SPS Academy, and the Stanford Park Sports Foundation—all driven by his passion to change the way young players are trained. His mission is to bring the discipline, skill development, and team-oriented style of basketball to the Bay Area, helping athletes not just play the game, but truly understand it, while ensuring that every child regardless of background has the opportunity to participate.
Through these programs, he is also dedicated to creating a place where families can connect, support one another, and grow together as a community.
Vladimir Nemcok
Headcoach / Co-Founder
Coach Vladimir “Vlado” Nemcok. Vlado is a former professional basketball player and accomplished university coach with a proven track record of developing talent from young beginners to NBA professionals. His career spans across Slovakia, Czech, Spain, Germany, Iceland and the United States, where he gained invaluable experience under elite coaches and brought that expertise to players of all ages and skill levels.
As a player, Vlado represented the Slovak National Team for nearly a decade, competed in top European leagues, and played collegiate basketball in the U.S., setting NCAA records and earning multiple individual awards.
Transitioning into coaching, Vlado has led skill development programs for youth, collegiate athletes, and professional players, emphasizing technical precision, game IQ, and mental resilience. He has coached at Eastern University, helping the team reach the NCAA March Madness tournament for the first time in school history, and has trained athletes who went on to successful professional careers.
Vlado is deeply passionate about coaching, with a lifelong dream of starting and building his own basketball academy—a vision he is now bringing to life with SPS Academy.
