One hundred and five Davao kids from public and private schools showed up for the tryouts of the Jr. NBA Philippines presented by Hi-Smart Multivitamins at Holy Child School in Jacinto, Davao City on January 22.
The kids underwent a series of drills and skills challenges from Coach Frank Lopez, the US Jr. NBA coach that introduced the program here when it was launched in the summer of 2007. They also learned about values that would transform them from kids who simply liked basketball to outstanding basketball players who were good inside and outside of the hard court.
“Pledge to be a S.T.A.R.!” Coach Frank told the kids. S.T.A.R. stands for the core values of the Jr. NBA Program : Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude and Respect.
Coach Frank also introduced the kids to a new Jr. NBA experience -- the Jr. NBA Skills Stations -- which posed five basketball challenges : the Hi-Smart Lay Up Station where participants should make as many lay-ups as possible within 45 seconds; the Gatorade Shooting Station where the objective is to make as many of the total 10 baskets within 1 minute; the Basketball TV Passing Station where one should make as many of the total 25 passes, including bonus passes – given a 10 second limit per set of passes; the Hi-Smart Dribbling Station where one must complete the course as quickly as possible while maintaining control of the ball; and the Mitsubishi Footwork Station where players make defensive slides around a designated area.
“It’s all about learning and having fun, but willing to work very, very hard,” Coach Frank said.
At the tryouts, representatives from Hi-Smart Multivitamins, the presenter of the Jr. NBA Philippines Program for the third consecutive year, and Jr. NBA partner Gatorade emphasized the importance of proper nutrition and hydration to the development and performance level of young cagers.
Officials from the local Department of Education (Ms. Ma. Antonia P. Diaz, DepEd Assistant Schools Division Superintendent and Jimmy H. Cerojales, DepEd Physical Education and School Sports Division Supervisor) attended the first school tryouts of the Jr. NBA in the City of Davao and pushed the young Davaoeῆos to give their best so they can represent Davao in the National Training Camp in Manila in April, and hopefully be chosen as the best campers this year under the program.
The next Jr. NBA activity in Davao is the Regional Selection Camp which will be held at the Ateneo de Davao Gym on March 16. The camp is open to all 12 to 14 year old boys in Davao City and the whole of Mindanao. The first 200 kids are assured of slots in the tryouts.
Ten best Davao campers will be chosen at the selection camp and will be flown to Manila, all expenses paid. They will compete with other top campers from Cebu and the NCR in the National Training Camp in April. The best eight young cagers chosen at the national level will be named the 2009-10 Jr. NBA Philippines All-Star Team and will experience special NBA activities.
The Jr. NBA Philippines effort is completely free in all stages for all participants and is presented by Hi-Smart Multivitamins with the support of Official Sports Drink Gatorade, Official Broadcast Partner Basketball TV, Official Automobile Partner Mitsubishi Motors, Official Mall Partner SM Supermalls, Official Supplier Spalding, and the Department of Education.
Local school coaches and Filipino boys ages 12 to 14 can register for the program for free through the Jr. NBA event website www.nba.com/jrnba/philippines
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About Hi-Smart Multivitamins and New Marketlink
Hi-Smart Multivitami\ns is marketed by New Marketlink Pharmaceutical Corporation, one of the leading national pharmaceutical companies in the Philippines. New Marketlink seeks to become the preferred marketing partner of a variety of international healthcare companies in providing Filipinos with specialized, high quality and value-for-money medicines and health products.
New Marketlink Pharmaceutical Corporation, fueled and propelled by the holding company, TAO Corporation, is poised to undertake bold moves to further establish the new company as a respected leader in the pharmaceutical industry and become a valuable component of TAO Corporation’s mission of building communities and people.
New Marketlink supports the Jr. NBA program by providing Hi-Smart Multivitamins products which assist in the physical and mental development of kids and teenagers who want to achieve their basketball dreams and to help them become a Jr. NBA S.T.A.R. on and off the court.
About the NBA
The NBA, founded in 1946, is a professional sports league and global business that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada. During the 2009-10 season, NBA games will reach 215 countries and territories in 41 languages. The league’s worldwide reach is also displayed in the 83 international players from 36 countries and territories on NBA rosters. NBA merchandise is sold in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents. NBA.com averages more than 26 million page views per day, with more than 50 percent of the site’s visitors coming from outside of North America. Through NBA Cares, the league, its teams and players have donated more than $115 million to charity, provided more than one million hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and created more than 440 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.
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Issued by NBA Asia, Limited. For more information, please contact:
NBA
Ip Kam Hung Phone: 852-2843 9628 E-mail: khip@nba.com
Larc&Asset PR
Tessa Jazmines Phone: 63-917 526 1369 E-mail: tessa@larcandasset.com
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CAPTIONS
DSC_0152 -- The morning session kids in the Jr. NBA school tryouts at Holy Child School enjoy a fun moment with Coach Frank Lopez.
DSC_0127 -- An outstanding player gets a reward from Coach Frank in one of the drills conducted at the Holy Child School during the first Jr. NBA tryouts in Davao City.
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Tessa M. Jazmines
Larc&Asset PR
52 Villa Ortigas 2, Granada St.
Bgy. Valencia, Quezon City 1112
Metro Manila, Philippines
Tels : (632) 410-9001/(632) 474-6506/
(632) 584-1621
Mobile : +63917 526-1369
Email : tessa@larcandasset.com
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