Why We Show Up.
For Ben Eby, helping a young person feel seen is personal. It is the reason behind the basketball, the mentorship and the communities Legacy North serves.
Ben is Legacy North’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer. Entering his 18th year of coaching basketball across Canada and the United States, he brings a lifetime of lessons about belonging, setbacks and finding a way forward.
The Person Behind the Player.
Ben was born with pectus excavatum, a condition that left his chest sunken. During high school, bullying about his appearance contributed to severe depression. Over time, he began to believe the things people said about him. In Grade 12, he survived a suicide attempt.
Basketball had been his sanctuary. Being cut from his team in his final year of high school was another painful setback. Those experiences still shape the way he sees a young person standing at the edge of a gym: there may be much more happening than a coach can see.
“Pain is my platform.” That is how Ben describes the purpose he carries into this work. It means making room for young people to be heard, treating them with respect and helping them see value in themselves beyond a result or a roster spot.
Finding a Way Back to the Game.
College basketball had seemed out of reach. But Ben decided he was not finished with the game. He trained persistently, researched junior colleges within driving distance and reached out to coaches, looking for a chance to get into an open gym and show what he could do.
He eventually earned a junior-college roster spot at South Puget Sound Community College. That beginning still matters to him—and makes it especially meaningful to see Legacy North athlete Kage Williams take his own next step at the same college.
From Playing to Showing Up for Others.
When his college playing days ended, Ben returned to his high school as an assistant basketball coach at the Grade 9 and 10 level. Coaching grew into a wider commitment to youth development.
His path included working as a paraeducator in a middle-school behavioural program, serving as a recreation director with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and starting teen programs. Those roles brought him alongside young people with different needs, strengths and circumstances.
He also built experience leading teams in the corporate and banking worlds, earning recognition both individually and with the teams he led. Across the different chapters of his career, basketball and youth development became his passion and purpose.
A New Chapter in Small-Town Communities.
A family move brought Ben to his first small-town community in 2020. Over time, he saw an opportunity to create more structure, consistency and access for young people in communities that can be overlooked.
Working with Splatsin and in Enderby has brought learning and deeply rewarding relationships. Those relationships are part of the foundation for Legacy North’s work: opportunities built with the people who know and care about their communities.
Today, Ben is a father to two boys who love basketball. He is building Legacy North alongside his life partner, Jemma Tadeo, the academy’s Director of Operations, and a team of coaches, mentors and community builders.
Turning Purpose into Places to Belong.
That purpose takes practical forms. After Hours Hoops offers free basketball nights and connection. Legacy North: BUILT brings structured sessions into community gyms. Small Town Select creates opportunities for player development. The basketball and wellness summits bring people together around the whole athlete.
The skills matter. So do the relationships, the encouragement and the chance to return to a place where someone is glad you showed up. Families, coaches, hosts and sponsors all have a part in making those experiences possible.