GBA’s mission is to empower youth by developing their athletic skills, leadership, work ethic, world view, and enhancing their commitment to the community.
Gil Basketball Academy is about training for basketball, but also training for life and job skills. High school students volunteer as coaches and mentor 4- to 12-year-old participants by leading drills, coaching, and demonstrating key basketball skills. Coach Gil and Central Coast Section Officials also train the high school students as referees and scorekeepers. They learn how to serve as officials during a game, which teaches them responsibility and reliability, and helps them develop respect for the role of referees. The Big Idea is to continue compensating the youth monetarily; many of them volunteered for years before they could get paid, and with their income they learn additional responsibility.
I have been in Gil Basketball Academy since I was 4 years old. Through it, I have been exposed to many wonderful experiences. The greatest impact has been to be able to give back to my community, coaching the young kids. Also, I got to enhance my sportsmanship and leadership skills and see the world. The academy has taught me the value of honesty, teamwork and communication. Resiliency has been one of the fundamental skills that I’ve learned in this academy, along with integrity and the meaning of ‘family.’
- Juancarlos Herrera
