The UP College of Human Kinetics bustles with activity during weekends.
Every Saturdays and Sundays since April 7, kids aged 8-15 years old engage in various basketball drills under the Batang PBA summer program.
The camp has put together 25 coaches from various schools and universities to work on the children, who are taught the proper way to pass, shoot, dribble and defend.
Now on is 14th year, the Batang PBA drew close to a thousand boys and girls this summer, most of them dreaming to be like Kiefer Ravena, a product of the camp who now plays for NLEX in the PBA.
"Kiefer has become a model to kids aspiring to make it to the PBA someday. I have seen the enthusiasm of these kids so I have no doubt in a few years we will be able to produce another PBA superstar," said camp director Eric Castro.
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The participants are divided into two divisions -- 8-11 years old and 12-15 years old - and undergo three hours of training for two weekends. This year, close to 600 girls and boys registered for the 12-15 years old bracket prompting Castro to hold an afternoon session.
"We are growing every year. That's an indication that we are doing good in terms of teaching the kids," Castro said.
After graduation, 192 trainees from each division will be chosen to advance to the Batang PBA mini-tournament of the 12 teams carrying the colors of the PBA's member clubs. Each team will have 16 players.
The tournament featuring 8-11 years old gets going on Monday (April 23) with a triple bill at the JCSGO gym in Cubao.
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial will declare the games open starting 10 am.
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