Arnis, also known in some regions as Eskrima or Kali, the local art stickfighting, is the official Philippine National Sport and rightly so. It is a world-reknowned all-Filipino combat sport. The martial art has its roots dug deep into the history of our nation dating back to the pre-Hispanic era. Be that as it may, ask a group of Filipinos what the most popular sport in the country might be and the answer will undeniably be a unanimous vote for the Naismisthian team sport: BASKETBALL. Dwarfing any other competition in the country, one will not be wrong in saying that the sport of hoops is the unofficial National Sport of the Philippines.

From the Pan-Asian dominance of the mid 20^th century to the resurgence of nationalistic pride in the modern Gilas incarnations, from the golden era rivalry of Crispa and Toyota to the ever-present collegiate rivalries like the Eagles and the Archers, the spirit of basketball competitiveness in the country is nothing short of spectacular. And throughout the sport’s history, Basketball has always been a stage for people like Rommel Adducul, Danny Ildefonso, James Yap, Arwind Santos, Marc Pingris and many others to bring hope to the masses through their rags-to-riches success stories. It is with this hope of bringing opportunities to naturally-talented children and honing their skills to give them a chance on a grander scale that birthed the NTU Foundation Hoops Academy.

A brainchild of NTU Foundation Executive Director, Jonathan Agngaray, the Hoops Academy began back in August, 2014 as a free basketball clinic for the indigent children around Baguio City. The Hoops Academy was, in recent years, also launched in nearby municiaplities. Being an experienced former player and multi-awarded coach, Mr. Agngaray incorporated fundamental skills development, character buildup, and love for country in his training regimen.

The basics come first. Mold the clay when it is still soft. It is best to tweak fundamentals to its proper forn when the kids are still young. Posture, footwork, handling, dribbling, passing, ball release, etc. You can have all the in-born talent in the world but you can only progress to the more advanced levels once the basics are perfected.

Characters are also developed. Confidence is needed to boost the kids’ hopes that they can reach their fullest potentials. Discipline is enforced to obligate them to train hard consistently. Humility is established keep the children’s feet on the ground. Teamwork is taught to create familial bonds and to show that in this world, goals are accomplished through unity. Fairness and sportsmanship are cultivated to foster a harmonious atmosphere amid all the competitiveness.

Lastly, love for the country is also bolstered. Basketball is one of the few sports where the Philippines can still be internationally significant. The recent success of our National Team has been uplifting. However, to sustain our country’s stature in Asia as well as to support the future generation’s growth in the global competition, the young ones must be taught nationalism that will motivate them to play for our country with their utmost abilities.

NTU Hoops will once again launch this July 2017.