WOMEN WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL, BUMUO NG TEAM; BEST CENTER MAY NEW VENUE

NAGKAISA ang apat na differently-abled women para sa isang layunin na pag-igihin pa ang kanilang larong basketball sa tulong ng kani­lang coaches para sa pagha­handa ng bansa sa pagsabak sa kauna-unahang women’s wheelchair basketball sa international competitions.

Binuo ang team Pilipinas Lady Warriors. “It’s our dream coming true,” ayon kay women’s wheelchair bas­ketball team coach Ver­non Perea nang bumisita sa 18th “Usapang Sports” ng Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) sa National Press Club sa In­tramuros. “Unlike the men’s team, we formed this team only a few weeks ago. Our plan really is to showcase the talents and skills of our female players and be recog­nized,” aniya, na sinamahan sa weekly forum na suporta­do rin ng Philippine Sports Commission, PAGCOR at HG Guyabano Tea Leaf Drink ni long-time assistant coach Harry Solanoy.

Sinabi ni Perea na ang apat na players na sina Pat­ricia Camille Castro, Cecille Naceno, Kymberlee Dangayo at Jean Delos Reyes ay may malulupet na tikas upang maging mga pioneering members ng women’s wheel­chair basketball team.

“These four women have dif­ferent inspiring stories to tell and I believe they best represent the character of the team. Sila na rin ‘yung mag­sisilbing tulay para makahi­kayat kami ng iba pang mga babaeng PWD na makasa­sama sa national team,” dag­dag niya. “Actually this is the right time to form the national women’s team, especially with the interna­tional fede­ration now push­ing for the development of women’s wheelchair basket­ball.”

Sina Perea, Solanoy at ang apat na Lady Warriors ay naging bahagi ng second International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IW­BF) Asia Oceania Women’s Development Camp na idi­naos sa National Paralympic Training Centre sa Suphan Buri, Thailand. Ang five-day development camp ay nila­hukan ng may 70 kababa­ihang mula sa 10 bansa, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cam­bodia, Laos, Australia, India at Pilipinas.

Samantala, nagbukas ang multi-awarded Best Center ng bagong venue para sa bas­ketball at volleyball clinics mula Abril 21- May 26. Ang makasaysayang Bamboo Organ Church ang magsisil­bing backdrop ng clinics sa pag-welcome ng St. Joseph’s Academy sa Las Piñas ng basketball students sa Pre­paratory Level at Level, vol­leyball students sa Level 1. Ang Las Piñas clinics ay mula 8 a.m.-12 noon tuwing Linggo. Samantala ang mga klase ng volleyball sa Ateneo college covered courts nga­yong Mi­yerkules (Abril 17) ay kan­selado dahil sa ibang school activity. (MC)