Consolacion to roll out grassroots basketball program this summer

CEBU, Philippines — Driven by the ardent desire to harness the skills of their young ballers and discover new talents, the municipality of Consolacion in northern Cebu will be rolling out a comprehensive grassroots basketball program next month.

Set to kick off on April 11,  the 1st Mayor Teresa Alegado Cup Summer Developmental Basketball League will showcase the ability of aspiring cagers from the town’s 21 barangays in three age groups:12, 15, and 17 Under.

Participating teams are divided into four clusters that will see action in a double round robin, home-and-away format.

At the end of elimination, the top four teams per cluster will advance to the semifinals, with the Top 2 enjoying a twice-to-beat advantage.

The winners will clash for the title in their respective clusters.

The champions will then go up against each other in “The Champions League”.

After the hardcourt battle, the organizers led by coach Paul Alelu Flores will identify potential players that will form part of their developmental training pool across three categories.

Those selected will undergo a structured training under the guidance of homegrown coaches in the hope of putting up competitive teams that will represent the town in future tournaments.

“By then, the players will have a chance to be scouted by different school-based coaches and hopefully play in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI),” said Flores, who will be working closely with his deputy commissioners Stordy Majarocon, Agvin Jugan, Lee Mhar Dahil, and John Paulo Dalumpines in running the purposeful undertaking.

“We want to reach out and teach the game of basketball to the youth and open up brighter opportunities for them along the way. That is really our ultimate goal. If we can achieve that, it’s the time we can consider this worthwhile project a success,” added Flores.

The meaningful initiative is fully supported by Consolacion LGU headed by mayor Teresa “Nene” Alegado in collaboration with the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation (SKF) under the leadership of Shella Arela Carpina and sports committee members Leo Napuli, Rex Pepito, Mikko Ouano, Wesley Alimoren, and Marilou Casul.

“The league highlights the importance of sports in shaping the youth by promoting physical fitness, teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship at an early age,” said Carpina. “It reflects the commitment of the local government to strengthen grassroots sports while providing a positive and healthy environment where athletes can develop their skills and confidence.”

“It is also expected to foster camaraderie among different barangays, discover promising talents, and inspire the youth to pursue excellence both on and off the court, reinforcing the vision of building a strong, healthy, and united Municipality of Consolacion through sports,” Carpina added.