|
IT’S
summertime. And basketball camps, leagues and barangay
competitions are bustin’ out all over.
You hear
the ring of your bell one o’ these scorchin’ summer
days, and it’s probably the neighborhood kids asking for
some donation for their “pa-liga”—you know, to buy them
uniforms and stuff. Moms and Dads are enrolling their
children in basketball schools like Milo Best, Hoops,
the Skywalker Camp or Coach E. to hone their skills. And
preseason inter-school basketball competitions are
popping like rapid-firing popcorn.
One
thing’s sure. Basketball and summer—they go well
together.
*****
DON’T
look now, but there’s a different kind of basketball
program that quietly but steadily blew into town
recently. This one’s not your typical basketball camp,
or league, or inter-barangay competition. It’s the Jr.
NBA—the leading US youth basketball program that serves
existing recreational youth basketball leagues through
support programs for players, coaches, parents and
officials in various parts of the world. It’s here! It’s
hot! And it’s bringing the NBA brand of basketball to
young kids in Metro Manila this summer!
Organized by NBA Asia, Jr. NBA programs have been
previously launched in other Asian countries like
Japan
and China in 2005 and 2006. The Philippines is only the
third Asian country that has been tagged for the
program. To date, over 6 million players, coaches,
parents and officials all over the world have received
benefits through membership in the Jr. NBA program.
There is a Jr. WNBA as well.
*****
How does
it go? Well, right now, a pilot program is being
conducted in 17 private and public schools in Metro
Manila. Every day since April 2, basketballs have been
thump-thump-thumpin’ away in school gyms that have
joined the program.
The
schools are:
PAREF Southridge
School, Don Bosco Technical College (Mandaluyong and
Makati), University of Perpetual Help System—Dalta, De
La Salle Zobel, University of the
Philippines
Integrated
School,
Aquinas School, University of Sto. Tomas, Colegio de San
Juan de Letran, San Sebastian College Recoletos, Rizal
High School, Parañaque National High School, Ateneo de
Manila University, San Beda College, La Salle Greenhills,
Philippine Women’s University—Jose Abad Santos Memorial
School and Malayan Science High School.
Kids and
teeners aged 9 to 14 are given NBA-style clinics led by
Program director Norman Black—a former Detroit Piston.
The school clinics will continue through to May 7.
After
the clinics, a Jr. NBA Basketball Tournament will be
played among the participating schools sometime mid-May.
School teams will knock each other out in competitions
until the championship phase. The top teams will advance
to the Jr. NBA Tournament Playoffs and Finals. Winning
teams will receive a trophy, medals, and Jr. NBA gift
packs.
*****
A Jr.
NBA Training Camp follows in June. Each school will
nominate two to three students from their respective
teams to participate further in the Jr. NBA Training
Camp, a 2-day advanced session to be hosted by a Jr.
NBA-certified coach or an NBA Legend. Besides good
basketball skills, the nominated students must be in
good academic standing and must be active in their
community.
Based on
their Training Camp performance, as well as the Jr. NBA
S.T.A.R. criteria of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, Attitude
and Respect, at least 5 boys will be selected to become
the 2007 Jr. NBA Philippine Team Selection
These
lucky guys—members of the Jr. NBA Philippine team—will
be rewarded with a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the US
where they will watch a live NBA game and attend a
basketball clinic hosted by an NBA Legend.
There
are plans to launch a full national program of Jr. NBA
this October.
*****
The idea
behind Jr. NBA “is to provide a fun and rewarding youth
basketball experience to Filipino kids, starting this
summer,” says Carlo Singson, of NBA Asia. “Jr. NBA
Philippines complements the local school’s sports and
recreational program and imbues it with the prestige and
unique experiences of the NBA. The program serves as a
National Talent Search for gifted children who can excel
not only on the basketball court, but in school and in
their communities as well,” Singson added.
The Jr.
NBA is a program under the NBA Cares banner, explains
Singson. NBA Cares is the NBA’s social responsibility
initiative that supports education, youth and family
development, and health-related causes. Caltex,
Gatorade, Microsoft, Solar Sports and Philippine
Airlines are the NBA’s partners in its Jr. NBA 2007
program.
Long-term, we hope to make the Jr. NBA the premier youth
basketball program in the Philippines, Singson added.
Watch
out for more action in the Jr. NBA as summer sizzles.
Who knows? A future Filipino NBA player may be bred by
Jr. NBA Pilipinas! |
