Fort Buchanan Strengthens Community Ties Through Historic Youth Basketball Tournament
FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico — Young athletes, coaches and families from across Puerto Rico gathered at Antilles High School's basketball court Oct. 25 as 12 teams participated in a Youth Basketball of America (YBOA) Puerto Rico tournament, marking a historic milestone in the installation's community engagement efforts.
The tournament brought together approximately 140 registered players competing in four age divisions — 12U, 14U, 16U and 17U — representing basketball organizations from communities across the island.
Participating teams included Prestige Basketball, Guaynabo Mets Amelia, ABARTA, Costeros de Vega Alta, Dorado Guardianes, Levittown Coquí Llaneros, Kiko Basketball and Fort Buchanan Child and Youth Services (CYS) Basketball.
The Fort Buchanan team competed in the 16U division alongside civilian teams, demonstrating how military-connected youth actively participate in Puerto Rico's organized sports leagues.
José Cruz Moya, a member of the YBOA Puerto Rico Discipline Committee, described the event as historic. According to Cruz Moya, this marked the first time an external basketball organization affiliated with the Puerto Rico Basketball Federation held a tournament at Fort Buchanan.
"This event opens doors for the people of Puerto Rico to see that Fort Buchanan's mission goes beyond military operations. The installation also has a community mission — to maintain strong relationships and foster mutual collaboration with the people of Puerto Rico,” Cruz Moya said, who is a retired Puerto Rico National Guard command sergeant major.
Luis Maldonado, Fort Buchanan CYS director, emphasized the importance of welcoming civilian families and creating opportunities for young athletes.
"We are proud to welcome the players, coaches, families and community members to the Army’s home in the Caribbean," Maldonado said. "This initiative demonstrates that Fort Buchanan is more than a military installation — we are part of the Puerto Rican community. By opening our doors and creating opportunities for young athletes and their families, we strengthen the relationships that connect us with the people of Puerto Rico."
The tournament gave visiting families an opportunity to experience the installation firsthand while reinforcing the connections between military families and surrounding communities.
With an annual budget exceeding $500 million, Fort Buchanan supports about 15,000 active-duty personnel, Soldiers of the Army Reserve and Puerto Rico National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve members and Navy Reserve personnel, providing infrastructure and services that enable forces to train, mobilize and deploy worldwide.
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