Player Development Coach, Navaeh Asiasi, had a remarkable senior season at Cal State LA. She was named 2025-26 CCAA Player of the Year and CCAA Tournament MVP, earned First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Region honors, was recognized as a Division II All-American, and helped lead the Golden Eagles to a CCAA Tournament Champion. These accolades are not to be missed when it comes to Asiasi’s journey, but this list represents four years of challenges and a determination to prove herself on the court.

“I couldn't have imagined what this would become. I just knew that there were kids out there looking for a positive role model and he was so good with them. Finding good coaches is so difficult that I wanted to do everything I could to make sure that he could be there for the kids that wanted to learn and wanted to be in the gym,” Bianca said. “We really grew from word of mouth. We didn't have any advertisements, we didn't have anything like that. We just allowed our clients to be our testimony and allowed the work to speak for itself,” Packie added on.

“Every athlete walks into our gym with different stories, different strengths, and they have different goals. Maybe it’s their first time coming in, maybe they’re an elite athlete. I feel like we take the time to get to know each and every player and just create an environment where they all feel seen, valued, and challenged,” Coach Veronica Barrot said.

The great part about strength training is that many exercises can be done at home with little to no equipment. The goal is to focus on consistency and quality to build strength that translates to the court. Players can begin developing the physical tools that support their game by focusing on three main areas.

“Coaching taught me that teaching others is one of the best ways to understand what you know. Learning how to help different people understand a concept has also helped me become a better leader,” Siegel said.

“We start every session with five minutes of therapy. I’ll tell Wes or Donovan, ‘hey, here's our play and here's what's missing.’ And they’re responsive, I like to talk through it with them and be honest about what was going on in my head. They’re great at giving me opportunities to grow and tactics to use on the court,” Coover said.

The three-page guide provides information and practical questions parents can use to better support their children, covering topics such as growth mindset, helping athletes relax and ways parents can encourage their development. It also explains what can happen inside an athlete’s brain and body during and after competition. By providing a basic understanding of brain development, emotions and processing, Ruelas hopes parents can better understand why their children may respond differently in certain situations.

Now heading into her sophomore season at IWU, Robinson reflects on her growth from her first year with the team. During her freshman season, she scored a total of 44 points with an average of 8.6 minutes per game, but her first season was not all about the stats. At Wesleyan, she had the opportunity to expand her role on the court. She was no longer just a guard but one who could execute the work of anyone else on the team if needed.

Adjusting to those differences, however, was not always easy. Playing overseas meant adapting not only to a new style of basketball, but also to an entirely new way of living. New teammates, unfamiliar routines, and cultural differences quickly pushed both players outside of their comfort zones. Something both Friedkin and Eisenman could relate to.

“Being able to train and coach allows me to help the next generation in learning those life skills and develop them on and off the court, and I think that’s really big. So it’s just about using basketball as a vehicle to be able to mentor and develop players. Every session I want them to end it better than they came in” Washington said.

"It was really fun, the best part was honestly seeing everyone have fun together and cheering everyone on. I also liked seeing all the girls who might not normally play basketball feel comfortable participating in the tournament," Eck said.

Team culture defines the ways in which a team goes about their practices, games, and off the court activities. Culture looks different for each basketball team, with different priorities and goals. What remains true across all team cultures is that the leaders and the people who make up the team are what lay the foundation that thrives over the long term. At UPBasketball, culture is built within every coach, drill, and run in order to give players a sense of what to look for within teams when they embark on their journey to finding one that fits.

“Growing up as a girl playing basketball, I feel like I was always super intimidated by others or older people. The Lead Your Way clinic was kind of to let the girls know that leaders aren't always the oldest player or the boys or the best player, but really just those who bring positive energy, communicate, and are hard workers,” Louie said. 

This summer, UPBasketball welcomed two former collegiate athletes to its coaching staff as Player Development Interns. Bailey Fong and Branden Antiporda arrived with different basketball journeys, but shared one goal of helping young athletes develop both on and off the court. Between years of collegiate competition, coaching experience, and a passion for mentorship, the pair bring fresh perspectives to UPBasketball while learning from coaches who have trained all levels of players.

Lee has used this offseason to prepare her mind and body for what is to come as a Gamecock. Coming into the UPBasketball gym for the first time has been a game changer in the way that she approaches workouts. The gym’s advanced technology has allowed her to take a more strategic approach to her training, while the UPB community has become a place she proudly considers her basketball home. Lee’s eagerness to learn was evident throughout her work with Coach Veronica Barrot, who took the time to understand her player profile before tailoring training sessions to her specific strengths and areas for growth.

"When I played for the Saigon Heat, I was really happy because that league was very competitive and we got to travel all over Southeast Asia. My main role was off the ball, a three-and-D type of guy. Over the course of the season, I solidified myself into that role because I played good defense and did what the coaches asked," Cilia said.

“If I would have stayed in Sonoma and played more just out there, I feel like I would have had a different outcome. There are a lot of good players out there, but being able to get out to Marin, Oakland, and the city definitely opened up my books. It gave me opportunities to play against better competition, get seen by more people, and really test where my game was at,” Van Ewijk said.

“These guys have worked their whole lives for this moment. They’re this close to achieving their dream and you get to help them during that part of their journey,” Coach Packie Turner said.

“The choice to be mindful is the choice to just accept everything that’s going on. Mindfulness creates this space between the stimulus and the response. Creating that space is actually pure freedom because then you can choose how to respond,” Coach Ben said.

One of the biggest advantages of data analytics is the ability to identify overlooked talent. In the past, exposure often determined recruiting opportunities, with players needing to attend major tournaments or play for well known programs to gain attention. Now, recruiters can compare players through objective performance data regardless of where they play.