“We’ve been going to UPB for a while now and we’ve seen so many great coaches come in and out. They always come equipped with great tips because they’re all players of the game. For Mateo, he’s still growing but the work he does with Corey really correlates with his specific position which has been huge for Mateo’s skill growth,” Adrian said.

“People are the best learning resources. Everyone has different experiences and being able to talk to people and learn from others is a great way to learn and train as a coach. If coaches can take even 1 thing new that they didn’t know or didn’t think of then to me that’s a success,” Coach Hannah said. 

 “Working at UPB as a Digital Content Writer has opened up avenues for myself that I didn’t even know were possible. As a lifelong Bay Area native and advocate for women’s sports, I had applied to an internship with the Golden State Valkyries which was a goal of mine the day they announced their expansion. I was both shocked and deeply grateful to be accepted to work with them. Once again I was given the opportunity to learn about basketball on a deeper level. The experiences I had, taught me how to represent a brand even further and at the professional level.”

“In the beginning, Packie was running all of the practice sessions with a couple of other trainers. Now we have Hannah, Corey, Colby, and many more working with the kids day in and day out and it feels good to know that I can trust them in creating a positive and uplifting environment,” Bianca Turner said.

“It gives kids a space to be themselves, learn the game and just really have a good time. We  challenge them and push them but we aren’t getting mad at mistakes or missed shots, we encourage it because that’s how you learn and get better so it’s also a place to make mistakes and improve,” Coach Hannah said.

“She gives me challenging drills during the group sessions. Coach Hannah is always telling me that she believes in me and that I can achieve any of my goals. This also helps my communication on the court because I want to be a better leader.” Gnida said. 

“It’s really important to have position specific clinics because it helps players develop a unique skill set that applies to their specific play style. Every position has different responsibilities so it is important to teach players what their focus should be at their position. It’s extremely important to work on the skills and the mindset that applies to their position,” Coach Colby said.

“I’ve been training with Packie for about four years now, and it’s great. He knows how to help me out and even when I’m far away and on the road, he’s always just a call or text away if I had a bad game or a good game. I know I can depend on him in those ways,” Christian Braun said. 

“Being able to observe other players in the gym is helpful and inspiring. If I see one of the women do a move I’ve never seen before, it makes me want to work on that myself and see how I could incorporate that in my game.”

“I want to instill a mentality of continuous improvement, joy in the process, and the ability to view challenges not as setbacks but as opportunities to grow. I believe that when players embrace that mindset, they not only elevate their game but also grow as people. It also helps being around other coaches who are always learning and growing has pushed me to adopt a learner’s mindset myself.”

“WIN frequently reminds me to stay in the present moment, and to let go of trying to change what happened before and what will happen in the future. The only thing we have control over are our actions in the present moment. It forces you to be where your feet are, and to control your controllables.”

“Detaching yourself from the outcome can also be a game changer. Focusing on the effort you put into the game is something that matters more than people think. What’s important is knowing that at the end of the day you gave it your all and being proud of yourself for accomplishing that no matter the outcome.”

“I know I’m at a point in my basketball career where I’ve learned a lot, and in turn I have a lot to share in terms of that. However, I know that I still have a lot of space to grow and there’s no better place I’d want to learn in that is at UPB. All the coaches have unique experiences that I’m excited to get to know more about.”

Amongst that young team is Jalen Williams, who, in his third year of being in the NBA, played a huge role in OKC’s winning season. In the NBA Finals alone, Williams averaged 23.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 3.7 APG. He had a three-game streak in games three, four, and five of the finals, where he scored 25 points or more off of a 44.9% FG efficiency. Williams became one of five players in the past 40 years of the NBA to score 25+ points in the finals before turning 25 years old.

 “When I first got to Australia it felt like I wasn’t doing enough because of how little we would practice. I realized I was stuck in the mentality that I had to be perfect in order to play on a college court but this thought process tainted me. I learned quickly that it was okay to chill and to simply have fun with it.”

Training at UPB was a critical point in her life, which inspired her to go in the direction of coaching other players. As a psychology major, Eisenman is most interested in how she can merge her love for basketball as well as her knowledge on how thinking affects our actions. There’s no doubt that the mind has the power to shift our experiences and that’s something she wants to emphasize to the young athletes she works with.

“Our coaches MAKE IT. Their energy, their engagement, and their willingness to help kids get better just creates a really good welcoming environment. We care, we enjoy the kids' energy, and we want to help as much as we can. It’s a really fun environment, we have a great group of coaches that bring the energy and enjoy building relationships with the kids”

“I want to be able to create that trainer to player connection that I’ve noticed with other coaches and their athletes, I know that’s important to development. Overall I want to become a well-rounded coach and get to know all of the coaches and players on a deeper level”

Studies show that athletes who get injured often struggle with things like anxiety, frustration, and even depression. It’s not just about missing games—it’s about missing your routine, your teammates, your identity. And for young athletes, that hit can feel even harder. So how do you deal with it?

One of our goals is to lead by example, so what better way can dads do that than to be side by side playing with their daughter? And it’s a mutual thing, we’ve seen girls encourage their fathers as well. At the end of the day the goal is to bond and have fun, it doesn’t matter if shots were missed or passes were off. What matters are the memories made and the community created.