Karl Mariano still remembers the feeling. Grade school, summertime, his first basketball camp. He was the youngest on the floor, playing alongside high schoolers, but none of that mattered. Every week, he showed up. The excitement never left.
That same feeling lives in the kids he now coaches through Level Up Basketball, a grassroots camp he co-founded with his longtime friend Roger. For Karl, this is more than basketball. It’s about giving back everything he learned — from his coaches, his family, and the long road he took to reach college-level play.
Growing up, basketball became a way forward. When a scholarship offer came, it wasn’t just a chance for Karl to play. It was a chance to help his family through hard times. That decision to push forward as a player eventually led him to coaching, to social service work, and to working with kids of all abilities — especially the youngest ones.
Karl’s approach is simple: teach fundamentals, build confidence, and remind each kid that life, like basketball, is full of second chances. His favorite quote? “It’s not over till it’s over.” Whether in the middle of a game or facing a tough season in life, Karl teaches his players to stay in it. To stay low. Stay grounded. Keep pushing.
At Level Up, he builds more than skills. He builds persistence. He builds heart.
