By Kevin Estrada
One of the biggest institutions in Pinoy grassroots basketball is set to go online by the end of the month, as MILO-BEST Center laid its plans for its restart Tuesday at the PSA Forum.
There are three programs that will be lined up when they are set to resume its clinics by September 26, as it is deemed to adjust its methods with the coronavirus pandemic means that there is no safe space for kids outside of their homes.
Apart from the usual clinic, those programs include a webinar called Bida BEST that features its alumni, and an upcoming virtual skills challenge that goes through the online platform Zoom.
“We believe that even if we’re in this pandemic situation, we still have to be active, to be healthy. So we have developed programs for that,” BEST Center Executive Vice President Monica Jorge said.
The daughter of the late founder Nic Jorge also added that the desire to do things differently became a key to its resumption, knowing that sports should be inclusive at all times, even in a global health crisis.
“We recognize the need to adapt to innovation, and by doing so, we are able to bring our expertise to a wider audience so that more kids will have the opportunity to develop their skills with our trusted mentors.”
With that, the BEST Center is now part of the MILO Home Court program wherein Karate and Taekwondo are also part of it.
“We have expanded our MILO Home Court program with the BEST Center to help and show kids that their dreams and aspirations can still be pursued,” said MILO Sports executive Luigi Pumaren.
BEST Center graduate and Farleigh Dickinson University-bound Ella Fajardo is among the expected guests in Bida BEST program alongside the Ravenas (Kiefer and Thirdy) and the Ildefonsos (Shawn and Dave), and she could not be more excited to share her story to the future generation of cagers.
“From my experience with BEST Center, these coaches really wanted to be with the children especially during these times. They loved their job, they loved teaching the basic and fundamentals step by step, but we prioritize the safety and health of these children as well,” she said. “I’m not surprised with what the BEST Center is doing because this is really what they love and that’s what is great about them.”
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Photo courtesy of Milo Philippines website.
