Our Mission & Story

Three people on a basketball court, one bouncing a basketball, surrounded by trees and hills.
Young boy holding a basketball in a gym with two other people playing in the background.
Two young basketball players wearing black jerseys with the word 'Hoopaholics' and the number 9, one smiling and holding a trophy, indoors on a basketball court.

At V3 Athletics, we are founded on family and driven by the core principles of Value, Vision, and Victory. We call this “The V3 Recipe”!

We see the Value in every athlete—meeting them where they are and helping them recognize their own worth, potential, and purpose.
We bring Vision to every session—crafting clear, personalized pathways to help each athlete believe in and chase their goals with confidence.
And we pursue Victory daily—stacking small wins, celebrating progress, and building championship habits that lead to lasting success.

V3 is more than training, it’s a movement. We provide elite-level performance, basketball development, and lifestyle fitness opportunities backed by experience in a culture that feels like home. Every athlete that walks through our doors becomes part of our family and we’re committed to walking with them every step of the way toward greatness.

V3 Athletics was founded in Woodburn, Oregon by three brothers (RJ, Tomas, and Cruz Veliz) and a best friend (Ryan Stebner) who’s been family since day one. All four of us are proud Woodburn HS alumni and take pride in starting this initiative in the Woodburn community. Our journey’s didn’t start in a gym — it started in our living room, backyard, and driveway. Growing up, our dad put a ball in our hands early and taught us life lessons through the games we played. Whether it was basketball, football, or baseball, we were always having fun competing, creating games, and pushing each other rain or shine.

Basketball quickly became more than a game for me (RJ). In third grade, I told my parents I wanted to play year-round, and they introduced me to The Hoop in Salem, a six-court facility run by Price and James Johnson. James became my coach and mentor. He believed in me, pushed me, and helped shape my love for the game. He passed away a few years ago, but his impact and genuine care lives on in everything we do. That gym wasn’t just where I learned the game, it’s where I met lifelong friends and my best friend, now co-founder, as we grew up playing on the same AAU team and competing against some of the best in the nation.

That passion never left us. Now, we’ve built V3 Athletics to be more than just a training program, it’s a movement rooted in the same energy, belief, and family we were raised on. We bring that same heart to every person who trusts in us to help them reach their goals.