Leaders of Unites #103 – Isaac Carrino
My dad was a high school basketball coach, so I was always around the court growing up
My name is Isaac Carrino. I'm 27 years old and live in Amsterdam, originally from the United States. My family and I grew up in Ohio, and I also lived in North Carolina for seven years. So, I consider both places home. I have two older brothers, and we get along really well. We share similar interests like sports and music, but each of us has taken a unique path within those interests. We all gravitated toward sports that fit our personalities. For example, my oldest brother was a mixed martial artist, which suits him because he's quite independent and enjoys the freedom of not having a coach or a fixed training schedule. My other brother, always the fastest of us, excelled in track and football, sports that matched his strengths perfectly. As for me, I grew up on the basketball court since my dad was a coach when I was born and I was always around the court growing up. Basketball appeals to me because it’s so creative—it feels like an art form, with everyone bringing their own style. I love the fast breaks, pushing the ball, and getting a shot up within the first few passes. I like to pass a lot and set up a good play, but also to score myself when the opportunity comes.
When we moved back to Ohio from North Carolina, I was starting high school. After a year, I got the opportunity to change schools and play for a Catholic high school. Adjusting from the large, diverse community in North Carolina to a small town in Ohio was challenging, so switching schools and joining the basketball team was a great fit. However, I wasn’t allowed to play any games that first year. At the time, Ohio’s regulations were strict about scouting, so I couldn’t play due to concerns about recruitment. We even went to court to try to change the rule, and the story made the news. Unfortunately, we lost, and I couldn’t play any games for a year. That was tough because it was a crucial year for both my development as a player and for college recruiters to scout talent. After a year, I could finally play, and I look back on that time fondly.
Before I joined, the team hadn’t performed well for several years. In the years after I joined the team, things turned around. We became quite successful. I was made team captain for two years. In my final year, we won the district championship, and I was the second-highest scorer. Since then, the team has been successful on multiple occasions in a very competitive conference, and I’m proud to have helped pave the way for that.
No matter your age, if you take ownership and responsibility you can make things happen
Three years ago, I came to Amsterdam to pursue a master’s degree in history. I'm fascinated by urban history and international relations, and I wanted a broader, international perspective. I chose Amsterdam because of the historical ties between the Netherlands and the U.S.—from the Pilgrims to New York's origins as a Dutch colony—and the similarities in mindset, like Dutch Calvinism, with the U.S. I'd also visited Amsterdam before and loved the city's vibe, which made it an easy choice.
I first learned about 3X3 Unites by joining the 3x3 Street League with friends from my student housing. Later, I wanted to get involved in community work related to community organizing and urban planning—interests I had pursued in the States. I reached out to 3X3 Unites and joined a 3X3 Leader Course in Hilversum. It felt fresh, unique, and basketball-focused, which got me excited. Looking back, I appreciated the program’s structured approach to teaching young people about leadership. It gave participants real responsibility and empowered them to make meaningful changes, which I hadn’t experienced before. In the U.S., youth often aren’t encouraged to step outside of an existing structure. Here in the Netherlands, and especially with 3X3 Unites, age isn’t a barrier. If you take ownership and responsibility, and create action plans, you can make things happen.
After completing my 3X3 Leader Course, the war in Ukraine broke out, and 3X3 Unites sought someone with experience working with trauma-affected individuals for the Nike Made to Play program. I ended up working with Ukrainian refugees at Nike’s Hilversum campus every week for a year. It was pretty eye-opening because, although I had experience with trauma, I hadn’t worked with refugees. Despite the challenges they faced, the kids were still full of energy and joy, which was inspiring. I'm grateful to have built connections with so many incredible kids.
If I think about my future I want to make sure I am involved in the community I live in
Right now I am wrapping up my time in the Netherlands to go back to the US. I want to go back and find a job in anything management related, ideally sports management. With my experience in event organization, I’d like to find a position back home, possibly with a professional team in Cleveland, though right now it’s up in the air. I also want to pursue a PhD in the future, but that depends on whether or not I will be able to buy a house back in the States. If I am able to buy a house I will probably hold off on starting a PhD for a while, but if not, I may start sooner.
If I think about my future I want to make sure I am involved in the community I live in. Working with 3X3 Unites and the John Adams Institute (another organization I have been working with here) will be a part of how I will be involved. I have already started conversations with the 3X3 Unites team and I have a decent network of basketball coaches back home. So when I get back I will try and figure out in what way we could make this work. The way sports are organized in the States is very different from the Netherlands and in many ways is much more commercialized. Which means we will have to figure out a structure that works, but I don’t think I am done doing things for 3X3 Unites even though I am across the ocean.
