Ten years of growing hoops

This summer marks the 10th anniversary of the Ateneo Basketball School (ABS), celebrating a decade of constantly improving and growing a uniform, progressive and scientific training system for boys and girls between six and 16 years old. The ABS is now one of the longest-running basketball schools in the Philippines.

The ABS was first conceptualized by then-Ateneo head coach and program head for basketball Joe Lipa in December of 1998. His vision was a school that would focus on fundamentals and raise the awareness level of Ateneo grade school students. An informal basketball school was already in place at the time, and was soon incorporated under the University Athletics Office (UAO). The first module of the new Ateneo Basketball School was held in the summer of 1999.

But before the program could be launched, there had to be unanimity among the coaches. Lipa and Ricky Dandan – now the current basketball program head – met with the grade school coaches and P.E. teachers to mold a coordinated program, and also use the ABS as a means of identifying future Blue Eaglets and Blue Eagles players. Under Lipa, Dandan and John Flores, the coaches and P.E. teachers underwent training in the latest techniques in basketball training.

“What truly distinguishes the ABS from other basketball camps around the nation, among other innovations, is the Station System,” explains Dandan. “Campers are divided into groups according to age, motor skills, body composition and skill level. Coaches and assistant instructors are then assigned to stations where campers undergo training on a particular skill. The stations are timed and the campers rotate to the next skills station.”

Therefore, Dandan elaborates, in one session, campers are trained in different skills. The drills used by ABS instructors are progressive and adjusted to suit the needs of the campers. The level of difficulty is also adjusted from one module to the other.

This summer, the ABS will again highlight one of its innovations, the Parent-Camper activity. Towards the end of each module, the ABS conducts the Mother and Son/Daughter Shoot-Out and the Father and Son/Daughter 2-Ball Competition. The Basketball Festival, meanwhile, is held on the last day of each module as the culminating activity.

Campers are divided into age-group teams and assigned coaches to compete in a short tournament complete with game officials. The ABS also invites teams from other schools to compete with the campers in the Festival.

But the ABS is not only confined to the Ateneo de Manila campus. As part of their desire to give back to the community, ABS coaches involved in their outreach program have traveled to Liliw and Calumpang, Laguna; Mauban, Quezon and San Juan, Batangas. At the end of this month, they will go even farther, traveling to far-flung communities in Kibungan, Benguet, five hours by land from Baguio City.

This outreach clinic will be in partnership with the Office of the Municipal Mayor and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR-Philippines).

Recently, the ABS expanded its program to include the ABS Classic, a full-blown age-group tournament that is exclusive to enrollees of the camp. The ABS Classic runs for one week and has modified rules to enhance the playing experience for all the teams. The ABS Classic is held at the Blue Eagle Gym every year after the last summer module.

In 2008, the ABS introduced the Ateneo Junior Basketball Academy (AJBA), an advanced basketball training center that is open to junior aged students (13 to 18 years old). The objective is to teach and train advanced skills using scientific methods to play the game of basketball for competition and recreation as well. It is open not only to Ateneo students, but outsiders, as well. The focus of the AJBA is to train students who have not been given a chance to train and play competitively at the varsity level, and arm the participants with skills that they will need to play the game of basketball more competitively. In addition, all ABS and AJBA players also received Gatorade to replenish their energy. Adidas has also come in as official outfitter of the Ateneo Basketball School.

The AJBA introduced what the coaches call Attack Basketball, a playing style and philosophy that focuses on aggressive individual and team skills on offense and defense. Last year, Sony Handycam also offered dozens of video cameras to give parents the chance to record their children’s progress during the ABS. The promotion was so popular, parents asked that it be done again this summer.

This year, the Ateneo De Manila University celebrates its Sesquicentennial Anniversary (150th). The ABS also marks a milestone with its 10th Anniversary Summer Modules. As part of their 10th Anniversary Celebration, and following tradition, the players and coaching staff of the 2008 UAAP Men’s Basketball Champions, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, will be guest instructors on chosen camp days of the first and second summer modules. This will give campers a rare chance to learn and interact with the players and coaches of the champion team.

The modules of the 2009 Sony Handycam ABS 10th Anniversary Summer Schedule runs from April 13 to 25 and May 4 to 16. The ABS Summer Classic will be played from May 18 to 22.