Camps galore

Everybody who’s anybody, it seems, is putting up a basketball camp this summer. And with school-age children looking for things to do while school’s out, there is a huge market just waiting to be tapped. The pioneer in basketball training is, of course, the Milo BEST Center, which has withstood the test of time and spread all over the country. Other corporate sponsors, such as Selecta, Burlington, Alaska and many others have also been around for a few years. But there are a few new players in the field, as popular pros — both active and retired — have decided to get into the act.

San Miguel Beer point guard Olsen Racela, for example, has been holding his camp for the last two weeks at the Ateneo de Manila college covered courts. The long-time back-up who has earned his starting slot and a place in basketball history firmly believes in the importance of guard skills for kids, regardless of how tall they eventually become.

"I want to teach kids the proper way of playing basketball," the former Blue Eagle declares. "I basically want them to learn guard skills, because that’s what I’m good at. I feel that even if they eventually grow tall, they will still be able to use the guard skills, and it’s going to be a big advantage for them."

"We wanted Olsen because he is a great example for kids," says Chiqui Paterno of the organizing Management Partners Group or MPG. "He is a model of perseverance and hard work, and has shown the kids that, no matter what happens to you, there is a way to overcome obstacles in life."

One other difference of the Racela camp is that, at the end of each session, the students in each group are given an opportunity to share insights and learnings they have gained for that day. There’s also an orientation for parents and helpers on how to support the child’s efforts to develop into a real athlete.

One-time PBA Mythical Team member Samboy Lim broke through his inherent shyness and finally held his first-ever "Skywalker’s Basketball Clinic" at the adidas Sports Kamp in Fort Bonifacio. With the backing of several friends and sponsors, he’s hoping to impart the skills that made him an unstoppable force and an unparalleled attraction in the league.

"My friends encouraged me to hold a camp," the perennial All-Star confesses. "What I really do here is impart my knowledge of the game and start with the fundamentals. We give them different drills according to what level of development they’re at."

The Skywalker’s enduring popularity and work in developing players for San Miguel Beer and Welcoat Paints has made his camp a big attraction.

On the other hand, the Champions for Christ have joined the fray through their "Champions for Christ All-Star Crossover" because they dream of building players who are not just poster-boy athletes. And it is also part of the Champions’ worldwide imperative. The clamor also came from Altamirano’s churchmates.

"We decided to put up this camp because coach Eric Altamirano and Alvin Patrimonio have this dream to raise a new breed of athletes who are not just well-rounded physically, but also spiritually fit," explains Joseph Carodan, national director for the Champions for Christ. "We wanted to start with the grassroots level, because this is where our Olympians. We have a dream for Filipino athletes to be in international competitions like the Olympics."

Aside from emphasizing ambidexterity among other skills, one major difference in the Crossover Camp is that it is packaged with a tournament among the participants. This means that the students will be able to show what they’ve learned in action.

"Sports will always teach you a lot of values like teamwork, camaraderie and friendship," Altamirano adds. "We don’t just want to teach the kids skills, we want them to play. They enjoy playing, and we want them to have fun."

Meanwhile, the Coca-Cola Tigers have been holding their Champions Clinic at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center for the third straight year.

"This is part of the advocacy of the Coca-Cola Tigers basketball team," says head coach Chot Reyes. "Number one, to be able to teach youth the right way to play basketball. But more important to impart the values that have made this team successful: the value of discipline, the value of hard work, to the kids. That’s why we call it the Champions Clinic, not referring to the champion as winning championships, but exerting championship effort every time."

The clear advantage that Coke has is the technical expertise Reyes and his platoon of assistants. They evaluate the footwork, dribbling and other skills of the participants, and divide the kids according to the particular skills they want them to develop. Having current and past head coaches like San Beda’s Nash Racela and Biboy Ravanes is a big plus.

So, take your pick. Who do you want your child to learn his hoops skills from? There’s something for everybody.