Coach Elijah’s Story in Growing as a Player on and off the Court

By: Andrea Aruino

If there is one lesson that basketball has taught Coach Elijah Duque, it’s that life is full of unexpected curveballs whether they are good or bad–but the mindset that you embody to approach those moments are what matter the most. Duque is currently a first-year college student attending the College of San Mateo. There he studies economics and is working towards transferring to a UC school once he completes his time there. 

Outside of the classroom, Duque spends a lot of his time at UPB coaching whenever he can. Despite the basketball gene running in his family, it was never something he dreamed of doing or thought he would be so involved in at this point in his life. Although it was just a matter of time before Duque picked up a basketball and started hooping. Just like him, his grandpa, uncle, and his dad used to play basketball. Eventually, Duque pursued the route his family lineage had carved for him after he found joy in completing his first basketball camp at a young age. 

In hindsight, Duque’s involvement with UPB as a player but also as a coach seems almost inevitable. He was born and raised in Burlingame, CA where he was introduced to UPB as early as fifth grade. Being a five minute drive away made it easy for him to attend his favorite part of UPB which were group training sessions. There he was pushed out of his comfort zone, as he had described himself to be more on the shy side. As Coach Packie was one of the few coaches working at the time, he was able to talk to him a lot. He recalls Coach Packie always trying to spark a conversation with him, as he did with all of the other students which created a basketball environment he continually wanted to return to. 

Just like any young teen, Duque was looking to find a typical teenage job in the food industry. That was until his friend, Owen Huie, who he had become friends with on his AAU team, pushed him to work at UPB as an After School Assistant. Although unsure, Duque went for it and got the job. He was so used to being coached, that having to be one pushed him to look at the game through a whole different lens. With this being so new, he leaned on the guidance and support that the seasoned coaches were offering. 

“I’ve learned a lot from the coaches at UPB considering they’ve all played basketball at such high levels. They all have different experiences and backgrounds that they’re so open to sharing, which has allowed me to incorporate different pieces of their coaching style into my own,” Duque said.

After more than a year of coaching at UPB, he’s come to understand the stark differences between playing and coaching—insights he never would have gained without stepping into this role. Duque works a lot with younger players during the little hoopers sessions and occasionally with middle schoolers. He’s learned and noticed that each player has their own specific skill set, way of learning, and way of playing. This has challenged him to adapt to each player's strengths and work with them in a way that the player can understand. This is a lesson he has not only applied to coaching but also to his own personal life. 

Before attending the College of San Mateo, Duque had hoped to attend one of his top schools but was not accepted. Although it was difficult to accept at the time, Duque saw attending the College of San Mateo as a second chance—a lesson he had learned from Coach Packie during his early training days at UPB. 

“Coach Packie taught me the ‘Next Play Mentality.’ If you make a mistake on one end, let it go and do what you can on the next play to redeem yourself. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do about something besides move on,” Duque said.

Being a first-year college student comes with its own challenges, but Duque sees them as opportunities for growth and redirection. He never envisioned himself to be a coach, but this has assisted him in developing a mindset strong enough to get him through life's windy roads. His open-mindedness in taking an opportunity like this has helped him to understand the importance of second chances even if it doesn’t align with the blueprint he had in mind. In basketball, you never know what your opponents are plotting. The only thing a player has control over is their role on the team and how they plan on executing those duties. Duque is committed to applying and sharing that mindset with the players he coaches and to his own life.