Hustle and flow

From extreme want often comes great bounty. Our ability to rise from challenges defines our character. In this story, a husband and wife experienced extreme life changes due to COVID-19, only to come out stronger and share their blessings with the youth of Floridablanca, Pampanga and beyond. Initially, Hustle Basketball Skills Lab was based in Quezon City, training athletes from various schools in rented gyms in 2018. Former varsity player JR dela Cruz was set to play in the MPBL when he tore his Achilles tendon. His wife Kristine told him to use his mind, instead. Their new venture began.

When the pandemic broke, the spouses retreated to Floridablanca. They settled on a two-hectare property, built a home and decided to put up a  gym. This is where Hustle’s headquarters was born.

“We were inspired by the NBA bubble,” recalls coach JR, son of PBA pioneer Bong dela Cruz. “They had their own facility. So we decided to have our own. In order to coach, I had to study abroad first.”

The spouses built their facility, a Taraflex-floored court with a roof, and dormitories for out of town students of the game. Slowly but surely, they attracted more and more of the basketball groups from the hotbed of Ibanga gradually. Hustle soon built its reputation as the hub of basketball knowledge in the province. For the coaching couple, their bread and butter is simply the basics of the game: fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals for player development. Their more advanced program is designed for player optimization.

“A lot of players are impatient,” reveals Hustle coach and retired PBA player Peter Aguilar. “They want to learn advanced skills right away without mastering the basics. They want competition right away, even if they’re not ready. We work on changing that mindset.”

The family atmosphere at Hustle Basketball Skills Lab has proven successful. From one-on-one training to full-blown camps, they also conduct their own tournaments. The location and complete facilities allow students to focus on the game, and leave much better than they were before.