Buckets For Her Tips Off at UPBasketball
3 minute read
By Andrea Aruino
Buckets For Her is a 2v2 basketball tournament created to raise funds for the UPBasketball Youth Charitable Foundation (UPBYCF) and its ongoing mission of providing underserved youth with greater opportunities through sports. The inaugural event took place on Thursday evening, July 17, at the UPBasketball Training Facility, where organizers Olivia Eck and fellow Junipero Serra High School students Vanessa Gonzales and Lorea Melander, created a new event centered on giving girls a welcoming space to compete and build confidence through basketball. Inspired by the success of Back to School Buckets, the trio introduced a new tournament designed to encourage more girls to step onto the court and experience the game in a fun and supportive environment.
After volunteering at Back to School Buckets back in 2024, hosted by her older brother, Matthew Eck, Olivia noticed that although girls had been invited to participate, none had shown up. That experience inspired her to create an event focused entirely on girls, hoping to create an environment where they would feel more comfortable participating while introducing new players to the sport. Working alongside during the planning process, the organizers developed an all-girls format and selected prizes they believed would encourage more girls to join the event.
"Personally if I was asked to come to a basketball tournament with the impression that I would be playing against only boys, I would probably not feel as comfortable to come or not want to come at all compared to having girls participate too," Eck said.
The evening featured a 2v2 tournament followed by two knockout rounds, with participants earning points throughout the competitions to determine the order in which they selected their prizes. The event welcomed six teams, totaling 12 girls, ranging from experienced basketball players to participants who had never stepped onto the court before. For Olivia, seeing girls of every experience level compete alongside one another made the event especially rewarding.
"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.
The positive response extended beyond the players. Parents thanked the organizers throughout the evening, expressing how much they appreciated having an event dedicated to girls and the welcoming environment it created. As the first Buckets For Her came to a close, the organizers were already thinking ahead to next summer. Feedback collected from participants will help shape future tournaments, with hopes of expanding the event and reaching even more girls throughout the Bay Area.
"Even though the next Buckets For Her event is a year away I don't think we want the momentum to stop so we're going to still reflect on what went well and think about ways to improve the event and brainstorming new ideas," Eck said.
The inaugural Buckets For Her marked the beginning of what the organizers hope will become an annual tradition. By creating an environment where girls of all skill levels can simply show up, compete, and have fun, the event reflects the UPBasketball Youth Charitable Foundation's commitment to making sports more accessible and building a stronger community through the game of basketball.
