Payton Croft

Head boys basketball coach at Mayfield High School. Married to Andrea Croft. Father of Nolan and Parker Croft.

[Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness @coachajkings]

Mick Cronin shares the coaching philosophy that drives every decision he makes.

"You're never gonna make everybody happy. I don't worry about that stuff."

"I worry about when they're 28...not right now."

"Are they gonna say that I cared enough to be hard on them and try to teach them right from wrong?"

Great coaches look to develop people.

Then he got honest:
"Sometimes I say stuff I shouldn't say. I can be too hard on them. But I'd rather err on that side."

"Because I wake up worrying about what they think when they're 28 not when they're 18."

The best coaches look to play the long game. They look to develop people of character.

"Did he let me do things I shouldn't have been doing just 'cause I was scoring points for him? Or did he sit me down and try to change my ways as a man?"

Your impact never fades.

Coach for who people can become not just who they are right now.
(🎥@j_spencerbrown)

[Pelicans Film Room @PelsFilmRoom]

"I will be over there stealing whatever I can... It's physical first. We are going to be unapologetically physical... You cant be afraid of contact. You cant be afraid of getting knocked down or knocking someone else down"

-- Jamahl Mosley on Football mentality

[Payton Croft @Coach_Croft12]

Love to see the fellas getting that work in! Keep grinding @BrycenEubanks @masonhopkins0! #Mayfield🏀

[HoopSeen @hoopseen]

16U Up Next Elite Got a close win this afternoon against a good athletic Devin Butts Elite team.Eubanks 6’8(20) Samari Pettus 6’4 (0) and Mason Hopkins(2) all played a crucial part.Hopkins led the way with 20 on 5 threes making shots at an efficient clip while getting some assists.Pettus had 15 and a number of steals he was super active the whole game and a disruption on defense.Eubanks also had 15 dominating the game in the second half with a number of blocks and rebounds.All around effort for a great win.#AtlantaJam

[Alan Stein, Jr. @AlanSteinJr]

This kid texted me seeking some advice. Here is my response.

NOTE: This advice far exceeds the game of basketball... and can be applied by anyone in any industry looking to advance in their profession!

[Payton Croft @Coach_Croft12]

6’8 2029 F that carries a 4.0 GPA! Brycen has the ability to stretch the floor offensively and his length allows him to protect the rim on the defensive end! The off-season weightroom work and speed/agility work is already paying off! #Mayfield🏀

[Brycen Eubanks @BrycenEubanks]

AAU highlights from this last weekend
@PrepHoopsKY @KY_PrepReport @NextUpRecruits @hoopseen @UpNext_AAU @Coach_Croft12 @CoachPat270

[Payton Croft @Coach_Croft12]

Congrats to @OwenByrd07 for committing to continue his academic and athletic career @BresciaMBB! I look forward to keeping up with your career as a Brescia Bearcat and wish you all of the success possible! #Mayfield🏀

[Mark Hickie @MPHickie]

Life is a journey, not a straight line. Adversity isn’t meant to break you—it’s meant to grow you. The hard moments build your character, sharpen your perspective & prepare you for what’s ahead. Real success isn’t just what you achieve—it’s who you become through the struggle.👇🏻

[Josh Williams @CoachJWilliams]

H.S. coaches: We are servants for 15-18 year olds. It is never about us, it's always about them. Their growth is more important than winning. Set your ego aside and make ALL of them better. When you figure this out winning will arrive at your door.

[Payton Croft @Coach_Croft12]

Sniper! Kid puts in a lot of work year round and carries a 4.0 in the classroom! As he continues to grow and get stronger, his range continues to get deeper! 🎯 #Mayfield🏀

[Mason Hopkins @masonhopkins0]

Highlight from this weekend in Louisville at the Grassroots showcase! @PrepHoopsKY @KY_PrepReport @NextUpRecruits @UpNext_AAU @hoopseen

[Payton Croft @Coach_Croft12]

@GabrielMorris09 is a bucket, never scared of the moment and is doing it all playing up a class with the 28’s! A 4.0 student as well! Keep grinding G! #Mayfield🏀

[HoopSeen @hoopseen]

UpNext 2028 (HSA) keeps the program winning ways going here at #GrassrootsShowcase with a nice win over a scrappy Shining Stars team

2028 Wing Samari Pettus (left) & 2029 G Gabriel Morris (right) are a fantastic, fun tandem to watch in the open court

[Payton Croft @Coach_Croft12]

Love this 2033 group of kids! 14-3 overall and 6-2 on the Jr3SSB circuit! Excited for our next stop in Norman OK! #IEFAMILY

[Indiana Elite Basketball @IndianaEliteIE]

Our Jr3SSB teams are having a solid start to their first two sessions‼️

• IE 2030: 8-0
• IE Team Indiana 2030: 3-5
• IE 2031: 4-4
• IE 2033: 6-2

@Jr3SSB | #IEFAMILY

[Payton Croft @Coach_Croft12]

Great opportunity to check out the facilities of the 2026 National Champs! 2-1 in the first two days of our 2nd Jr 3SSB weekend in Detroit! #IndianaElite

[Payton Croft @Coach_Croft12]

Be a Domestique!
“When talent meets talent, talent is no longer enough!”

[Inky Johnson @inkyjohnson]

Domestiques.#Team

[Joe Rogan Podcast News @joeroganhq]

Larry Bird: "My confidence came from me shooting basketball by myself for hours up on hours."

[Vala Afshar @ValaAfshar]

KOBE BRYANT’S 10 RULES:

Get better every single day
Prove them wrong
Work on your weaknesses
Execute what you practiced
Learn from greatness
Learn from both wins and losses
Practice mindfulness
Be ambitious
Believe in your team/yourself
Learn storytelling

[Matt Dimech @matthewdimech]

Alex Karaban's departing words of advice for players beginning their career at UConn:

"Enjoy every second you have it goes by fast. You know, the days might seem long, the practices might seem long, and coach may be hard on you, but it's all for a reason... it's an honor wearing this jersey."

[Payton Croft @Coach_Croft12]

🗣️

[The Winning Difference @thewinningdiff1]

“Please don’t ever judge me for wins and losses that’s not who I am as a coach.
Relationships- you want it for them.”

Championships change careers.
Relationships change lives.

Athletes. Coaches.
Don’t just chase wins. Change people.

That’s the real legacy.

🎥@glenn_kinley

[Ganon Baker @GanonBaker]

You’re talented… but you’re quiet.
And that’s the problem.

No voice = no leadership
No sound = no power
No energy = no impact

Everybody wants to be “nice”
Everybody wants to “do their thing”

That’s not how teams win.

Teams talk.
Teams connect.
Teams bring ENERGY every rep.

[Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness @coachajkings]

Dan Hurley shares why his players accept hard coaching and it comes down to one thing.

"You invest every second that you can in them. On the court and off the court. You just pour everything you have into them. Your family is intertwined with your program."

"I think players sense that. They feel that."

Then he explained why his players accept being pushed:
"My players will accept the hard coaching from me and our staff because they know how much we love them."

"They know how much we're trying to prepare them, toughen them up, teach them, help them grow as men, develop new skills quickly - all those things that are gonna add value to their lives."

People know when you invest and you care.

"We're relentless for them. We're literally giving everything we got to them while they're on campus."

The formula: Invest and care first then balance that with pushing them forward.

Then he got honest:
"I wouldn't wanna play for me for 10 years. I wouldn't wanna play for this staff for 8, 10, 12, 15 years. We go hard for these guys while they're on campus and that's why you see the bond the way it is."

The window may be short, but the impact lasts forever.

Players don't accept hard coaching because you demand it. They accept it because they know you love them.
(🎥 March Madness)

[Payton Croft @Coach_Croft12]

Starting a new journey on the Jr 3SSB Circuit with Nolan and Indiana Elite! The team went 3-1 in their first circuit weekend in Mishawaka and won a tournament this weekend in Indy! Love this dude and the memories we’re getting to make as a family through the game of basketball!