{"id":20286,"date":"2025-12-02T14:31:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T19:31:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apexforyouth.org\/?post_type=news&p=20286"},"modified":"2025-12-02T14:59:45","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T19:59:45","slug":"elissa-apex-basketball-journey","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/apexforyouth.org\/tl\/news-and-announcements\/elissa-apex-basketball-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"From Athlete to Mentor: Breaking Barriers and Creating Space for Young Girls in Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before she became a collegiate point guard, a mentor, and a leader at Apex for Youth, Elissa was just a six-year-old girl learning to dribble alongside her brother in their backyard. Her parents introduced the sport to her for fun, but it quickly became something more \u2014 a source of joy, pride, and identity. That family foundation set her on the path to Apex, where her passion for basketball and her belief in herself began to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was her community that led her to Apex for Youth<\/a>. At age 11, she joined the We Run As One (WRAO) summer basketball league after hearing about it through her Chinatown team, the New York Rockits. The experience was transformative. Competing in a league hosted by Apex and the Dynasty League gave her one of her first real opportunities to play in a structured, competitive environment. Though she was often one of the few girls on the court, she felt supported, welcomed, and inspired to chase her passion for the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding Confidence, Mentorship, and a Path Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After basketball came mentoring<\/strong>. Elissa joined Apex\u2019s Programa sa Pagtuturo<\/a>, participating from freshman through senior year of high school. What began as a step outside her comfort zone grew into one of the most defining relationships of her adolescence. Her mentor became a steady source of guidance, especially during the uncertainty of the pandemic years as she transitioned to college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through workshops, new friendships, and one-on-one support, Elissa learned to speak up, trust herself, and stay open to opportunities she may have once been hesitant to explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time she graduated high school, she was ready for the next chapter and Apex was ready to guide her again. Through the College & Career Success (CCS)<\/a><\/strong> and Alumni Programs, she completed three SCEP internships across tech, network\/IT, media, and marketing roles. Each experience, even those outside her long-term goals, helped shape her professional confidence and sparked her interest in data analytics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Building Dreams: On and Off the Court<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the most meaningful figures throughout her journey was Coach Ian<\/strong>, who began supporting Elissa when she was still in elementary school. He volunteered to train her 1-on-1, investing his time, energy, and belief in her potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know it then, but those early sessions shaped the player and person, I would become,\u201d she reflects. \u201cEvery moment he supported me, even the small ones, made a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When she later became a collegiate student-athlete at Baruch College, starting point guard, co-captain, and a leader both on and off the court, Ian continued to cheer her on. His support extended to her family as well, something Elissa says she will always be grateful for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming Full Circle: Returning as a Coach<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Elissa returned to Apex, this time as a coach for the very basketball programs she once grew up in. She reflected, \u201cBeing able to give back to the next generation of Apex athletes even in a small way has been incredibly meaningful and truly a full-circle experience.\u201d She added, \u201cAs a former collegiate athlete, I know the importance of giving back to the community that gave so much to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few years ago, Elissa volunteered at an elementary school on a Saturday afternoon as an Apex basketball coach. About 40 energetic children ran across the gym, excited to play basketball after finishing Saturday school earlier that morning. Among the group, only about five were girls. During a drill, one of the girls asked her, \u201cWhy are there so few girls here?\u201d The question took her by surprise, as the gender disparity had felt normalized during her own upbringing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seeing that little had changed in over a decade was demoralizing, especially for the aspiring young female athletes she was coaching. From that point forward, Elissa knew that not only was fulfilling her dream to become a collegiate athlete important to her, but so was serving as a role model for the young Asian girls who had never had one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Career Fueled by Passion and Data<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As she advanced academically, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Baruch, then pursuing her Master of Science in Business Analytics, Elissa continued giving back. She later joined Apex\u2019s Data, Research, and Evaluation team, helping build the organization\u2019s first dynamic dashboards to visualize historical program data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project aligned perfectly with her emerging career in data analytics and data science, allowing her to merge her technical interests with her commitment to community impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The values she learned from Apex accompanied her every step of the way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n