Leaders of Unites #104 – Eva Luna Eklou
ACROBATICS AND JUDO SUPPORT MY BASKETBALL PERFORMANCE
My name is Eva Luna Eklou. I am 19 years old and come from Amsterdam Oud-West, where I live with my mother across from a park. It's very quiet here, and you don’t experience the hustle and bustle that you’d expect in the city of Amsterdam. I was independent and entrepreneurial from a young age. I was allowed to bike to my primary school on my own and was always outside with a ball, playing with the kids in the neighborhood.
As a child, I practiced judo and circus. In the circus, I especially enjoyed the trampoline and acrobatics. However, I noticed I was practicing the same tricks for the same show over and over again. At the end of primary school, I decided to stop circus and focus entirely on judo. Still, my mother preferred that I’d do a team sport as well. My friend Nikki Kleyhorst invited me to try a basketball class at BV Amsterdam. I liked it so much that after the summer holidays, I decided to continue playing basketball.
Both sports have been really beneficial to me. Judo taught me how to fall. Thanks to the circus classes, I am flexible, have good balance, and know how to get back on my feet quickly. So, during a game, you might see me fall, roll into a somersault, and keep running!
Since that trial class, I’ve never stopped playing basketball. Because I’m quite athletic, I was soon able to participate in competitions. However, in my fourth year of high school, I sustained a serious injury that forced me to repeat a year. Still, that didn’t take away my love for basketball!
THE FOCUS IS ON THE COMMUNITY
A friend and teammate came up to me and told me we were going to participate in the 3x3 Street League. It was more of a statement than a question, but I was really excited about it. At that event, she was approached by Yue to join the 3X3 Leader course. It sounded interesting, and she signed us both up.
I started the Leader course in January, and I was in a group with only girls. What stuck with me the most from the course was how to focus in the right way. Through Basketball’sCOOL at BV Amsterdam, I had already been coaching kids between the ages of six and eleven. I learned not to focus solely on basketball and winning. It's about making sure everyone has fun and gets the opportunity to learn, for example, by giving the winners an extra challenge in the next game.Since then, I’ve been helping Rabiya organize Girls Get Together activities. These are monthly events for girls between 18 and 25 who want to meet new people. We started this with basketball in mind, but we hardly ever actually play basketball. For example, we’ve painted, had a kickboxing class, and done yoga and breathing sessions.
In our neighborhood, there’s a fairly new court that’s not very well known yet. As part of our 3x3 activities, we’re there twice a week for two hours with a ball. We invite the local kids to join in a game, and through this, more and more young people are learning the rules of 3x3 basketball and discovering the court. Sometimes the kids prefer to play football on the field next door, and we happily join in. It's not just about the sport; it’s about building a community.
NOTHING IS SET IN STONE, I LIVE BY THE DAY
Right now, I’m taking a gap year, and soon I’ll be traveling. Since I was little, I’ve said I wanted to see a different part of the world after finishing high school. My mom traveled through South America when she was younger, so she understands me. I’ve been saving for this since I was twelve. Originally, my plan was to go to Asia and Australia, but I’ve always wanted to go to Mexico, and that destination won out. Since friends of mine are in the Caribbean, I won’t be traveling alone.
Together with a friend, I’ll start my trip in the Dominican Republic. We’re celebrating New Year’s Eve in Curaçao with friends who are there right now. Afterward, I’ll travel alone for a few months, heading toward Mexico. For now, the plan is to go to Cancun and Mexico City, then continue south until I reach Costa Rica or Panama. But that’s not set in stone; I’ll just see how it goes!
When I return, I’ll still have some time before the next academic year starts. I’ll work again and have a vacation to Kenya planned. After that, I’ll likely study construction. Everything about the construction industry appeals to me. At school, I was given the space to follow my interests, and I delved into architecture. I even adjusted my course load to match that. But I also realized that just studying isn’t for me. I’m more hands-on and would rather combine working with studying. A degree in architecture involves a lot of math and homework, which doesn’t suit me. With a higher education program like Construction Project Management, you can work and study at the same time.
I don’t have any concrete dreams about what my life should look like in a few years. I live in the here and now. I’m living my life and letting everything come my way. Maybe I’ll even take another gap year and go to Asia after all!
