Poway resident and Maranatha Christian rising junior Will Ralston loves basketball. He loves the family bond it has given him with his brother and father and the sense of belonging he finds through playing.
“I was a really active kid, always running around with friends,” Ralston remembered. “My teammates kind of feel like family. I love how over the years basketball has given me community.”
Standing 6-foot-1, Ralston is a forward on the Eagles boys’ basketball team.
According to Maranatha Christian assistant coach Bill Davis, Ralston’s work ethic has been evident since his first freshman practice.
“His passion for the sport stood out even as a freshman on the varsity team,” Davis said. “He has made a way for himself through that hard work. He also stood out because he is so respectful and receptive. He was ready to soak up anything that the coaches told him and tried to then immediately apply that in practice or a game.”
Inspired by Hope Leadership Academy’s annual Toys for Hope event, which gives away free Christmas gifts to children up to age 13, Ralston wanted to share his passion for basketball with underserved kids in San Diego County.
He created Ball 4 All for this year’s Toys for Hope at King-Chavez Primary Academy in the Barrio Logan neighborhood of San Diego. This year, Ralston aims to donate 2,000 basketballs to the charitable event.
The seed for Ball 4 All was planted in December 2022 when Ralston attended Toys for Hope as a volunteer with the Maranatha Christian boys’ basketball team. After attending the following year’s event, Ralston’s idea grew into an action plan.
“I was super inspired, but what really stood out to me was when each kid was leaving, they were able to walk out with a bike,” Ralston said. “I thought that was the coolest thing in the world. These kids were enjoying the time, but their eyes just lit up when they got a bike. I was blown away by that. I felt like I wanted to add something to that too. My passion being basketball – I decided I wanted to give each kid a basketball this upcoming year.”
To date, Ralston has secured $500 in donations over the past two months, with a goal of raising $4,000 by November.
His plan is to use the money to buy basketballs in bulk from a manufacturer in China.
“We found a manufacturer that is fairly cheap and ships within two weeks,” Ralston said. “We are good at getting the basketballs; it’s just the donations, support, and outreach — getting more eyes on it and letting other people know.”
Ralston has been reaching out to companies for sponsorship, something he said has been difficult. He has also solicited donations at local parks and has used a grassroots approach, tapping into his basketball community.
“The most successful way I have gotten donations is when I’ve been able to actually talk to the person one-on-one directly about it. One of my coaches set up a time for me to talk with someone they knew, about it – for example.”
According to Ralston, Hope Leadership Academy has been supportive of the campaign and could potentially help with the logistics of transporting the basketballs to the event.
“Basketball has been so big in my life, I want to give that to others,” Ralston said.
Ralston is optimistic that he can continue Ball 4 All beyond 2024.
“He has a great work ethic and drive, but what shows a little bit in this is his heart,” Davis said. “Teenagers, often, are focused on themselves. For a young man his age to have this thing put on his heart and to share something he loves with a good amount of kids in an underprivileged community is a source of joy. His ability to look outside of himself deserves a little recognition and so does his cause. The more people that know about this the more kids that can be positively impacted by what he is trying to do.”
Toys for Hope will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 14 at King-Chavez Primary Academy, 415 31st Street, San Diego, CA 92102.
For online donations, Ralston has created a Ball 4 All website: https://www.ball4allhoops.com/
