Nerves Transformed into Confidence
2.5 Minute read
By: Andrea Aruino
Up until this point, Luna Gnida has only been playing basketball for three years. She’s grown as if she’s been on the court dominating for triple that. From a shy player who liked to pass more than anything else, to a confident playmaker who embraces both scoring and leading, proving her impact extends far beyond just moving the ball. Gnida started playing basketball for her uncle’s Boys and Girls rec team where she was the newest on the team. Just like anyone, the nerves kicked in and she found herself looking at other teammates in order to facilitate each game. Although she was nervous, she was driven by the idea of improving her game in order to make an impact on her teammates and in each game she plays. The summer before fourth grade, she had the opportunity to train with Stanford’s Women’s Basketball Alumna, Hannah Jump. During their time together, Jump worked on honing in on the fundamentals that make a basketball player great. Over time, Gnida found herself getting more comfortable dribbling the ball, shooting, and making strategic passes.
After working closely with one of Stanford’s stars, she eventually found her way to UPBasketball in 2024 where she began participating in group sessions and private training. During her private sessions, she recalls her skills being challenged more than she had been before. Training looked different now, she began to work on a change of pace, off ball movement, and more. It was a new path she was ready to conquer and she knew she’d be doing it alongside coaches who were there for her mistakes and successes.
As an incoming sixth grader, Gnida’s skills have improved exponentially. Aside from being on her middle school’s basketball team, she also plays for the BullDawgs Basketball Club, an AAU team where she led the team to a 3-1 record in their Las Vegas tournament. Just when it seemed her momentum couldn’t go any further, she found herself being formally invited to the Allen Iverson camp in Las Vegas where she led the entire group of campers in some ball handling drills.
Aside from dominating in her AAU team and leading camps, she’s recently began private training with Coach Hannah whose biggest goal is to instill belief and courage into all of her players. Before working with Coach Hannah, Gnida had already worked with many coaches and mentors who were equipped with the skills necessary to pass down to her. What she found to be different is the relationship Coach Hannah has been able to build with her making her not only a better player, but also a better person.
“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.
Gnida’s mom, Lili, has been a catalyst in connecting her with coaches and a community who will guide her daughter towards a successful basketball career however far Gnida hopes to take it. Coming into UPBasketball, Lili is fond of the ways in which coaches and all staff treat her daughter before, during, and after her private or group sessions. It’s apparent to Lili how much her daughter’s game has grown as a player and it's inherently seeped into other aspects of her life such as having the confidence to be a leader on Gnida’s student council board for school.
“For the past year and a half, Coach Hannah and her have really honed in on her shooting. She’s able to score on all three levels which is something we wanted her to work on. The biggest piece is just the confidence that all of the coaches have in her. Simply stepping into the gym, they greet Luna and take the time to talk to her, which I can see has a huge correlation in her performance,” Lili said.
With the school year quickly approaching, Gnida’s training with Coach Hannah is far from over. They’re zeroing in on sharpening her shooting skills while also preparing her to embrace the full responsibilities of a point guard. Beyond building a monster on the court, Coach Hannah is committed to helping Gnida grow into a leader who can guide her team with confidence and composure, even in the most high-pressure moments.
“Luna [Gnida] has really improved her change of pace and is able to score with contact. We have also been doing a lot of finishing at the rim with contact and change of pace to get to the rim. Overall she’s learning how to use her voice and communicate more, her leadership is definitely improving!” Coach Hannah said.
Gnida growth so far has only touched the surface. She is a player who is bound to refine her skills and progress into an even better player than she was yesterday. With the help of Coach Hannah’s mentorship, she is equipped with the confidence to be a leader on and off the court. During this upcoming basketball season, she hopes to use her shooting skills that she has been working on all summer to the fullest extent as well as being a communicator on the court. There’s no doubt that Gnida will achieve these goals as she is self-determined and ready to do what it takes to win.
