“I think young girls watching this [tournament] gives them that platform to dream big and see how it's possible and that these women were once young girls like they were and they all had a dream and all worked towards something,” Johnson said.

With summer just around the corner, we are excited to announce our upcoming summer camps! Each camp will feature a different focus for young hoopers to expand their knowledge of the game while also honing their physical in game skills. The second camp this summer is a third through seventh grade camp that will take place from July 15th to July 18th.

One of the most exciting events in all of basketball is right around the corner. This year’s NCAA March Madness Tournament kicks off on Thursday, March 21st with the first round of 64. After an exciting college basketball season, we are looking forward to the Cinderella stories, upsets, nail biters, and all the excitement that this year’s tournament has in store. We are also looking forward to watching college players define their legacy and realize their potential as hoopers as every tournament players from around the country become household names. This week we caught up with UPB’s player development coaches and picked their brain on what they are looking forward to most and also their keys to success when filling out their brackets.

With summer just around the corner, we are excited to announce our upcoming summer camps! Each camp will feature a different focus for young hoopers to expand their knowledge of the game while also honing their physical in game skills. The summer camps will kick off with a first through fifth grade camp from June 24th to June 27th.

Parents play a vital role in the development of an athlete’s skill set and the love they have for a game. Whether it’s shooting hoops in the front yard or debriefing after a game, parents can leave a lasting imprint on how passionate their athlete is about hoops by simply getting involved. There are countless stories of parents and moms, in particular, at all levels of basketball paving the path and bringing out the best in their athletes. It is with this spirit in mind, that UPB is excited to host the Mom’s Basketball Clinic with the Women’s Coaching Alliance on Sunday, March 24th from 4pm-5:30pm.

The power of basketball is priceless. The sport’s impact is felt in all facets of life whether it be teaching athletes skills on and off the court or bringing families closer together through both watching and playing the game. The latter is especially true for the Buecker family and their athletes: Ferdi, Lorenz, Konsti, and Theo. As long-time members of the UPB community, the Buecker family’s love and passion for the game has grown as their athlete’s basketball journeys are just beginning.

Allen has embraced being a part of the UPB community and admires the welcoming environment UPB fosters from coaches to players to parents and families. As a Player Development Coach, he strives to spread his love for the game and make a positive impact on the athletes he trains with by fostering a fun and joyful playing environment. To Allen, having fun while playing the game and developing a love and passion for the sport is integral to elevating one’s skill set.

“I was super grateful and just felt blessed to be able to have this experience. The NBA All-Star weekend is a pretty big deal and being around athletes who are at this moment in their careers was just super cool to see,” Johnson said.

With the talent level reaching an all time high in the NBA, the rosters for the various games and challenges are stacked with up and coming stars. The influx of young talent into the league has created a lot of buzz in the league as a new generation of hoopers are becoming household names and rising to stardom. The star studded lineup for this weekend’s festivities will include multiple players who have trained at UPB with Coach Packie Turner.

Her ability to work on her craft and play for two teams at once is a testament to her dedication to the game and her drive to continue improving. Through the guidance of helpful coaches, such as Sue Phillips, and role models, like Teresa Weatherspoon, Fisher has learned a great deal about how to pave a successful basketball career. Her biggest lesson: let her game speak for itself.

The future is bright for Mission Rec Center Rebels star Lea Escobar. As Escobar wraps up her eighth grade year and final years playing AAU ball, she strives to continue elevating her game and chasing her dreams in the sport she has fallen in love with. Escobar has been playing basketball for as long as she can remember. She first picked up a basketball in second grade and has been playing for the Mission Rec Center club team in San Francisco ever since.

As Kelly begins his next chapter in basketball as a Player Development Coach at UPB, he seeks to share his experience and insight to the next generation of young hoopers. He understands firsthand the importance of the mental side of the game and how a confident mentality is integral to finding success. He admires how UPB athletes focus on attention to detail and hone their skills in all aspects of the game from the physical skill sets to mental practices. As a Player Development Coach, Kelly seeks to instill good mental skills habits in his athletes that can be applied both on and off the court.

The high school women’s basketball season is underway, and Menlo-Atherton high school is looking to repeat their success from last season when they finished undefeated in league. The Menlo-Atherton Bears will be leaning on sophomore guard Luisa Tava, a transfer student from Pinewood School, this year as they seek to win out in the Peninsula-South conference and compete for a CCS title. After an impressive 3-0 start to the regular season, Tava and the Bears will look to continue stacking wins and building team chemistry for a deep playoff run.

The Thanksgiving and Holiday camps at UPB, led by player development coach Hannah Johnson, were a major success. Johnson focused on three main goals as she coordinated these camps: challenge athletes, improve individuals, and have fun. Each three hour camp session was carefully crafted with a balance of skill specific drills and fun competition amongst campers. As future camps loom near, Johnson and UPB player development coaches look to build on their success running these sessions and strive to implement new ways to help athletes grow their game and have fun playing ball.

Whether it's implementing new diets or exercise routines or meditative practices, the blank slate that the new year brings forth presents many opportunities for individuals to make strides in improving their overall health. Health and wellness are an integral aspect of sports and basketball, in particular. One of the assets the greatest athletes possess is availability, which can only be achieved through discipline and focusing on good health practices that keep the body in shape for high level activity.

This year was definitely one to remember for the UPB community. Many milestones were achieved in 2023 from opening a new facility to incorporating virtual Mental Skills Training with Coach Joey to introducing our first All Girls and Little Hoopers training sessions. We are grateful for gaining more youth and pro clients and having the opportunity to continue helping athletes realize their unlimited potential on and off the court. We are looking forward to the many milestones and memories in store for the future at UPB.

On Sunday, December 17, the University of Idaho squared off against Stanford in Palo Alto. This game held extra significance for Burlingame native and redshirt freshman for the Vandals, Miles Klapper, as this marked his long awaited return to playing hoops in the bay. As regular season play looms near, Klapper and the Vandals seek to go on a run and win their first Big Sky Conference title since 1990.

With the college basketball season getting underway, we caught up with Loyola Marymount University freshman, Maya Hernandez. As she begins her collegiate journey in Los Angeles, she reflects on the important parts of her basketball journey and her keys for future success. Hernandez looks to be a key piece to helping her team win a WCC title this year and strives to continue elevating her game to new heights.

In the spirit of the holidays, the UPB Youth Charitable Foundation is happy to announce another fundraiser to showcase the power of youth sports this month. This holiday fundraiser will feature a free clinic with UPB’s player development coaches and a toy drive for children of all ages.

“Mindset is the separator. It’s what separates good from great, and bad from good… I want to pass this valuable knowledge to the next generation of hoopers at a younger age,” Hewitt said.