TESTIMONIALS

What participants say about Coach Now:

Franco Atienza standing behind Alaska assistants Jojo Lastimosa and Topex Robinson

Basketball has been at the forefront of Philippine culture, we have been known as a nation of hoops, having the first professional basketball league in Asia, basketball courts in every street corner and even making a resonance halfway across the world that led writer and basketball freak, Rafe Bartholomew, to come over and “investigate what he thought was an urban legend: that Filipinos love basketball more than anyone else on the planet.” (Pacific Rims, 2010) And, yes, I was not spared.

Five years ago, the basketball bug bit me. I started on a quest to fulfil my hoops dream: to be a basketball coach. For me to be ready and aside from what I already know about basketball, I figured I have to be technically knowledgeable. So I read books, watched videos, searched the internet and interviewed senior coaches. Anything that I could get my hands and eyes on about basketball that would be useful on my quest. One particular activity that I found very helpful is attending coaching clinics and seminars. Unlike in the US, where clinics are frequent, in our country, these are very seldom.

Two years into coaching, I signed up for the first Coach Now Basketball Coaching Clinic back in 2009. To say that it was very informative and empowering is an understatement. The seminar offered lots of useful information from top notch basketball coaches, which I would otherwise not have the chance know. Sid and Mike, have been doing a great job, inviting Philippines basketball’s great coaching minds to share their x’s and o’s, insights and experiences to young and aspiring coaches like me. It was one thing watching them do it in their respective teams during their games, it is another hearing it directly from them.

I also look forward to the new acquaintances and the network of coaches I meet. Their experiences with their own teams are just as informative and helpful. Indeed, I believe in the vision of Coach Now, and I would like to see it become a mainstay of Philippine basketball. An institution where most of the future basketball coaches in our country would come from or learn from.

“To stay on top, one has to continue learning and never cease to be a student of the game.” These are words from my coaching idol, now my head coach, Coach Joel Banal. And yes, 5 years and 3 Coach Now seminars (now going fourth) after, I am now part of the Alaska Aces Coaching Staff as a Video Coordinator. I feel so blessed and privileged, and hopefully, in turn, this becomes an inspiration, that dreams really do come true!

–Franco Joseph Atienza, Alaska Aces, PBA

From Coach Nes Duque (FQD COBALTS)

Thank you for keeping me posted about COACH NOW. I am definitely interested! All i can say is bring it on!  Your Coach Now program is what really started me into coaching basketball and not just coaching mind you, but the right and proper way of coaching the sport that I truly value. I am now living my dream to the fullest thanks in large part to all of you there. I am as happy as I can be.

I am now a high school basketball coach of Lyceum Northwestern University Dagupan City. My team and I just won third place in our DepEd HS Tournament which just happened two days ago.  This is my first trophy in 2 years of head coaching.

Here are some team pictures and game posts starting from the Opening of the league up until our last game. All of these were made possible because of your program. I couldn’t have done it without you.
Thank you.

And also, I would be more than happy to help in any way I can tocontribute to the development and growth of your program. I would love nothing more than to share my basketball coaching knowledge and experience to others. Perhaps a rookie coach with a fresh perspective like me may help the participants most especially the inexperienced relate more to their kind and in the process be further inspired to aspire.

The opportunity to be among fellow basketball coaches and dreamers alike is more than enough honor for me. All these I am willing to do for free. I have videos, pictures, basketball X and O’s, diagrams, lessons and a lot more to give. I just have so much basketball in me to share especially to the new ones. I can’t wait for the opportunity to do just that. I sincerely hope and pray that you consider.

Cheers, see you soon and more power to COACH NOW!