About Us

Hi, my name is Eduardo Cuero and I’m a Queens-native, former D1 athlete, and Founder of VarCity Athletics. My passion has always been basketball and Queens has always been my home. I had the great honor of playing AAU basketball for multiple teams all over NYC and those experiences shaped who I am and how I coach today. I understand the competitive circuit and how it has the power to make you feel simultaneously on top of the world and at the same time question if you’ve ever really played ball before. It has been my dream to develop not only a competitive team but also a youth athletic development program for all levels to give back to the community that built me and create an atmosphere that builds young athletes to be dynamic competitors and leaders in their community. Together with my father, and first coach, Henry Cuero and partner, Ariel Trzaskos we have built VarCity Athletics, a Queens-based youth athletic development program and AAU basketball team.

Our motto at VarCity Athletics is ‘Stronger Together’ because I have seen and experienced how the competitive environment and the world at large, has the power to tear down and divide us. It is our mission to foster an environment that builds young women up and to create a community of confident athletes that can support and depend on each other on and off the court. We coach to empower while also instilling the discipline and determination is takes for these young athletes to reach their full potential. Our coaches are all highly skilled and certified in their areas of expertise blending a well-rounded wealth of knowledge for science backed training and confidence building to bring out each athletes individuality. VarCity Athletics is different from most competitive teams in that way, we value the strength in individuality. Instead of forcing athletes to conform to a system, we believe encouraging their strengths also helps them gain the confidence and willingness to build in their areas of opportunity. It is confidence and community that builds athletes to withstand the pressures of the competitive circuit and in turn, the rest of their lives.

Children playing basketball in a gym, with one girl jumping to shoot the ball towards the hoop.

“You are enough. Everyone is enough. You need to be individually you, all the time.”

- Candace Parker

Coaches

  • Coach E

    HEAD COACH & ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

    Certified NASM Personal Trainer & IYCA Youth Athletic Development Specialist

    Eduardo Cuero is a former D1 athlete with a BA in Psychology and Queen’s native passionate about developing the next generation of athletes through science backed well-rounded skill development and confidence building. Eduardo played basketball and football at Christ The King HS in Queens and Football for Robert Morris in PA. His passion has always been basketball and has spent two decades as a personal trainer and private coach for youth athletes and teams in Manhattan. His dream has always been to build his own team of confident athletes in Queens where he first started.

  • A coach or adult talking to three young girls on a basketball court, with a graffiti wall in the background and the girls wearing blue basketball vests.

    Coach Henry

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Henry Cuero is a high level athlete who competed in basketball, soccer, volleyball and track originally from Cali, Colombia and father to Head Coach E. He taught Eduardo everything he knows and is so excited to continue his legacy with his granddaughters, Stella and Isabella. Henry played basketball & soccer at Valle High School and in college at Universidad de Libre in Bogotá. He also coached girls’ elementary school basketball in Buenaventura. He is an incredibly skilled player and Coach and his experience, mental toughness, discipline and determination is what he would like to instill in this next generation of athletes.

  • A group of children and a woman on a basketball court participating in a fitness class or exercise session, with a colorful mural and trees in the background.

    Coach Ariel

    STRENGTH/CONDITIONING & ADMIN DIRECTOR

    Certified NASM Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach, BPNYC Comprehensive Pilates

    Ariel Trzaskos is a former professional dancer and sports injury rehab specialist. She has been a personal trainer and nutrition coach for the last 15 years specializing in injury rehab, athletic conditioning and strength training and has always dreamed of working solely with athletes. She is thrilled to be able educate and empower young women with the skills to train and recover properly. Her career was cut short due to injury and she is passionate about making sure others don’t have the same outcome.

VarCity Athletics STRONGER TOGETHER