AYN takes lead

Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP) president Chito Narvasa was on the line yesterday excitedly relating his experience in Davao City last weekend.

Narvasa, Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao, and Lyceum of the Philippines athletic director Tanny Gonzalez presided in a three-day BCAP coaching and accreditation seminar at the Almendras Gym. The host coordinator was Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Butch Ramirez’ son Omar, the BCAP’s Region XI director who used to coach the Ateneo de Davao varsity.

Additionally, Dr. George Canlas flew in from Manila to share his views on the latest developments in sports medicine and treatment of sports-related injuries.

About 150 attended the seminar which began Friday and ended Sunday. There were eight ladies in the group that came from all over Mindanao, including Iligan, Kidapawan, Compostela Valley, General Santos City, and Misamis Oriental. The seminar combined classroom-style lectures with actual drills on the court, using Ateneo players and some of the participants.

Narvasa, Guiao, and Gonzalez took turns explaining the nuances of coaching. They went through different types of offensive and defensive formations. With demonstration players on hand, the coaches reviewed their pet plays, step by step, and stressed the importance of communication and repetition in practice to sharpen execution.

"It was a big success," said Narvasa who coached Purefoods and Shell in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). "The hosts deserve the credit. They did a great job. We are encouraged by the success of the seminar which aims to help and strengthen the LGUs (Local Government Units) and the barangay level sports development program by giving quality orientation to local sports leaders so they can gain new knowledge and get updated on the new trends in sports, particularly basketball."

Narvasa said he plans to conduct similar seminars in other provinces. He identified Sorsogon and Cebu as the next staging areas in what is shaping up to be a nationwide series.

"Our team in AYN (for Andres Y. Narvasa) Sports Management is ready to go all over the country to spearhead this campaign," said Narvasa. "This is about building foundations. We’ve got to reach out to the grassroots so our players learn the right fundamentals at an early age. We’re teaching the teachers who in turn will teach the stars of the next generation."

Narvasa said the Davao seminar was open to coaches of all ages, regardless of degree of experience. The idea was to welcome all interested comers.

"There is tremendous potential in the South," continued Narvasa. "I think we should focus on the talent in the Visayas and Mindanao. If we develop a strong base in the South and complement it with a strong base in Luzon, we’ll be creating a solid feeder system for teams all over the country–at the university level, the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) and the PBA."

Narvasa said he is eager to link up with the Detlef Schrempf Foundation which is organizing basketball clinics in Olongapo and Lipa on April 23-May 2. Schrempf, a former National Basketball Association (NBA) star, will personally head the mission. During his trip here, he will choose two young and aspiring Filipino coaches to bring to the United States Basketball Academy (USBA) in Oregon for a four-week internship starting July 18.

Narvasa said he will ask the various BCAP chapters to nominate five candidates each to apply for the two slots.

"This is a positive development for Philippine basketball," he said. "The offer to sponsor two young Filipino coaches to learn from legends like Dale Brown and Rick Barry at the USBA camp is heaven-sent. We got the ball rolling in Davao and I think Mr. Schrempf’s offer will fuel more interest in our program. I understand Mr. Schrempf intends to bring the clinics to the South next year. That’s also great news for BCAP because as I mentioned, the South has tremendous potential for basketball. We in AYN hope to work closely with Mr. Schrempf when he comes."

Schrempf’s group will conduct three-day basketball camps and events in Olongapo and Lipa. The camps will use an approach that integrates public affairs, media outreach and diplomacy strategies. The main instructors will be Schrempf and Bob Gaillard, Lewis and Clark varsity coach. The visitors will also set up an exhibit on basketball, community-building, and Schrempf’s foundation. To generate a festive atmosphere in the camps, they will stage activities like a dunk contest, a three-point shootout and a three-on-three tournament.