For the love of the game

 Eric Banes is a self-made man. He relies only on himself to get things done. So that if things don’t work out, he only has himself to blame. But more often than not, when he sets his mind to doing something, he gets the job done.

Banes, 40, loves basketball. He teaches the game on a personalized basis to high school and college players, 12 sessions at a time. Age doesn’t matter. Some of his students are Dom Fergus, Mike Fernandez, Paulo Rabat, Gabby Albano, Rey Yap, James Panaligan, PBA legend Hector Calma’s 12-year-old son Andres and former Olympian Paeng Hechanova’s grandson Rafael III.

“I started individualized training in 2004,” said Banes. “I’m on call. I usually teach at the Palms Country Club in Alabang. My methodology is to give my students the opportunity to improve their game in the most efficient way, to maximize their abilities and most importantly, to develop successful, goal-oriented young men and women, prepared to be successful in life.”

Banes fell in love with the game at an early age and was a waterboy of the San Beda College varsity that won back-to-back NCAA seniors championships in 1978-79 under coach Bonnie Carbonnell. He was in Grade 6 at the time and watched wide-eyed as Red Lion heroes Frankie Lim, Chito Loyzaga, Jayvee Yango, Chuck Barreiro and Cholo Martin brought honors to the Mendiola school.

In college, Banes tried out for the San Beda varsity but couldn’t make the grade.

“The players were bigger and better,” he recalled. “But my love for the game didn’t dampen my spirits. I transformed myself from a frustrated player to a teaching player. My friend Dindo (Pumaren) introduced me to his brother Manong (Derick) who took me in as his understudy for three months then brought me to Franz. I learned more tricks of the trade from Franz and with the La Salle varsity, I began to hone my teaching skills. Al Chua and Louie Alas also gave me a lot of insights into the game.”

In 1999, Banes took a trip to Indiana and enrolled in a two-week training program under coach Bobby Knight. He paid his own way as an investment for the future. At Indiana, Banes realized developing a player’s “all-around” skills wasn’t enough to get ahead. The real test was developing a player’s individual skills.

After brief stints in the coaching staff of La Salle and San Beda Alabang, Banes formed a group to teach basketball fundamentals in groups of 25 to 30 high school and college players over two sessions. Eventually, he did it on his own, without assistants or consultants, to provide personalized tutoring and undivided attention.

Last November, Banes decided to make another investment, enrolling at the Joe Abunassar Impact Basketball Camp in Carson City. He spent a week taking up a mentorship course at Athletes Performance, an Abunassar-related program, under Phoenix Suns’ conditioning consultant Nick Winkelman and another week of exposure to individualized training. Banes also flew to Boston for a meeting with Celtics assistant coach Kevin Eastman, president of the Nike Skills Academy.

“The mentorship course included strength and conditioning,” said Banes. “Athletes Performance trains high school, college and professional athletes in all sports. I saw David Beckham training at AP and he’s just one of the many stars who go there during the offseason. The training was hands-on and not the type of training where you just observe and try to memorize what they’re doing.  I had to undergo the actual rigors of training by doing things myself. It was exhausting and tiresome. The training was from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. I had sore muscles every day and I could barely lift my arms on the last day. But it was worth every penny I paid.”

Banes was the only Filipino enrolled in the course. Others were fitness trainers and Los Angeles firefighters. “If this course can make firemen ready and fit to do their job, it can make amateur and professional athletes stronger and develop more staying power while playing to their full capacity,” he said. “I learned the basics of functional movement screen, regeneration, upper and lower body strength, plyometrics, multi-directional speed, energy system development, absolute speed and nutrition. I’ve incorporated all of these into my individual teaching.”

At the Abunassar Camp where the Philippine team has trained, Banes said he picked up a truckload of pointers. “They train individual players like what I do but their system is top of the line,” continued Banes. “One of their students is Tayshaun Prince of the Detroit Pistons. The trainers remember the Philippine team fondly and asked me to say hi to Asi (Taulava) and Mark (Caguioa).”

Banes said in Boston, he brought up the possibility of engaging Eastman to bring his training camp to Manila. They met for an hour after the Celtics hosted the Los Angeles Lakers last Nov. 23. 

“Coach Kevin was very much interested and I offered to organize a camp in Manila without the usual politics involved,” said Banes. Before returning home, Banes said he was invited to join the Athletes Performance two-month internship program in March to include free housing and discounted food.

“I’m definitely going back,” said Banes. “I know I must learn more and be up-to-date with modern and state-of-the-art methods of teaching basketball by going on my own and paying my way to one of the best training facilities in the US.”

For his trip last year, Banes dug deep into his pockets and spent about $4,000 to pay for his training fee, hotel, airfare, equipment and books. He’ll probably spend as much for his trip in March.  But if that’s what it takes to make him a better teacher, Banes is prepared to pay the price – for the game he loves.

Banes may be contacted at 0917-3745007 or 802-1168.