Friday, August 29, 2008 Training for upcoming basketball players on By Roderick Osis
FOR five years now, two of Baguio City's basketball enthusiasts have gathered their resources to train possible basketball players not only to learn the basics but also to attain their dream of playing in the pro-league someday.
Since it started in 2003, HoopEdge is making the dreams of every young Baguio resident of making it big either in amateur leagues in the city or represent their school in tournaments outside Baguio despite the lack of support from the local government.
"We don't just teach basic basketball here but we also teach them the real essence of the game," said Anton Gomez, who helped in realizing a grass-root training for basketball in the city with former college ball player and former coach of the Pines City College men's varsity team Eric Balagot.
HoopEdge, through the five years of its existence, has already lured more than 80 participants ranging from elementary and high school hoop wannabes during its summer camp since 2003, and the number is yet to grow as they are expect more players will enroll within the next few years.
Although the training is not free of charge, Gomez said they are collecting fees for the payment of gym rental which they sometimes shoulder themselves because of the lack of enrollees.
"Every summer, we have our closed-door summer camp for elementary and high school students who want to learn and improve their craft as aspiring basketball players," Gomez said.
With six of its trainees graduating from high school last March, Gomez is looking for other enrollees in their program.
Gomez quipped that the five are trying out for the basketball team in their respective schools while the other one was already in the US.
PJ dela Cruz is currently a freshman at the Saint Louis University who is also trying out for the basketball team while Jonathan Pineda is a sophomore at the University of Baguio together with Alex Ciensia. Jonathan Yong and Nico Yagyagen are both enrolled at the University of the Cordilleras, and Gomez said these kids have great chances of landing either in the school varsity or as department players.
With their program coming to progress, a number of their high school trainees recently saw action in some of the city's amateur league which includes the annual Friendship Cup, Adidas Street ball challenge, and the recently concluded Panagbenga Cup.
Although the team did not fair good in some of the tournament they joined, HoopEdge is hoping their trainees would be molded in the way Gomez and Balagot would want them to progress in their basketball careers.
"Our aim is for these kids to elevate their game during tournaments and have the maturity they need as they go along with our program," Balagot said.
Every week, the group conducts a basketball drill for elementary pupils from 2 to 4 p.m. at the St. Vincent Gym every Saturday and basketball skirmish from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the afternoon during Sundays also at the St. Vincent Gym.
For inquires about HoopEdge and their training regiments, Coach Balagot can be contacted at 0906-4936866 while Gomez can be reached through 0921-5687855.
