GBA Coach Joey Ramos

A good coach can inspire a child for life, and no one believes that more than Joey Ramos.

Salinas, CA, August 05, 2020 - Born in Lapaz, in the Philippines, Ramos came to Soledad with his parents and three siblings when he was just 6 months old. “My parents wanted to give their children a better life with more opportunities,” he said.

An extremely shy child, Ramos discovered basketball in the fourth grade. “Our coach, Mr. Godoy, would coach us from his kind heart,” he said. “We practiced after school three days a week and he personally would drive us to Salinas to play on Saturdays.”

The experience had a huge impact on Ramos, who today lives in Salinas and coaches two GBA select girls teams.

“Playing with a team made me open up and feel comfortable with other people, and has made me become the person I am today,” he said. “It helped with my social skills. To this day, I’m always happy and excited to meet new people.”

In 2002 Ramos was asked to help as an assistant coach for his niece’s basketball team. “That’s where it opened up a new adventure for me to coach basketball,” he said. “It was what I needed to share my love of the game and help other kids that loved the game, too.”

In 2011 he coached his nephew’s team for Steinbeck Elementary in Salinas. Aside from his GBA work, Ramos currently coaches the 7th and 8th grade girls teams at Gavilan View Middle School.

His experience with GBA began nine years ago when he was introduced to GBA co-founder Jose Gil.

“Coach Gil opened up new experiences,” Ramos said. “I could not imagine working with large groups of kids, ranging from kindergarten to high school. It opened up new competitive experiences with GBA select travel teams. It’s all had an impact on how I coach.”

For Ramos, the most rewarding aspects of coaching have happened off the court.

“It’s all about preparing them for the next level of their game, sure, but also in life,” he said. “To use the same elements of respect, commitment, dedication, passion, and the hunger to learn more in everything you set your mind to.”

Ramos is grateful he’s able to support his community, and help open doors for a better future. “Their growth in becoming young adults earns them the same respect, commitment, dedication and the passion they have experienced learning the game and becoming leaders themselves,” he said.

In the end, it’s all about the love of a game that brings to participants many bonuses.

“The excitement I see in our youth, learning together, meeting new friends, having fun, has been the most rewarding,” he said. “Their big smiles are what fuels me!”

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
https://gilbasketballacademy.com/

Gil Basketball Academy Player Profile Nick Duque

When Nick Duque was 6 years old, his family moved to Salinas. Immediately he was the new kid, in a new school, with no one to talk to.

Salinas, CA, June 14, 2020 - “I had problems interacting with other kids and was bullied a lot,” he said.

Starting in the fourth grade, Nick would bring his own basketball to school and shoot hoop during recess and lunch — by himself.

Eventually he joined a team … and everything changed.

“Making friends and interacting with other kids my age became easier and the bullying stopped,” he said. “Going through this kind of stuff helped me become a better person and leader.”

Currently in 8th grade at La Paz Middle School in Salinas, the 5-foot-9 point guard is a scoring sensation, averaging 20 points per game last season. He was selected to the Reggie Stephens Foundation Monterey County All Star Team, and has been named scholar athlete the past two years.

His goal next year as a freshman is to make the JV or varsity team at Alisal High School.

“My immediate plan is to take advantage of this off season and improve my skills,” he said. “I feel that since there is a shelter-in-place order in our area, a lot of players my age are not working that hard to get better.”

Nick joined Gil Basketball Academy in the fifth grade, and credits GBA with instilling in him a work ethic. “GBA has taught me to keep working hard to achieve your goals not only in basketball but everyday life,” he said.

To achieve his basketball goals, Nick takes at least 500 shots a day, works on his ball handling drills, runs 3 miles per day wearing an elevation mask, and works out in his family’s home gym.

“Another goal of mine is to be a good big brother and to support my younger brother with anything he needs,” he said.

Nick’s 2-year-old brother was recently diagnosed with autism. “I hope I can make a difference no matter how big or how small,” he said.

Nick believes that playing basketball and being part of a team has helped him become a better person.

“With basketball you learn early on how to interact and work together with others,” he said. “It also gives me the incentive to get good grades.”

Nick’s goal is to attend a four-year university and play basketball. “My ultimate goal is to become a doctor,” he said.

He hopes the sport continues to open up doors for him.

“Without basketball I'm not sure what I would be doing,” he said. “I have met a lot of people and obtained the discipline to stay away from anyone that may be a bad influence.”

Nick credits GBA with instilling in him certain traits — among them, leadership, respect, courage and selflessness.

“Being part of the GBA family has taught me to keep working hard to achieve my goals, not only in basketball but everyday life,” he said.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
https://gilbasketballacademy.com/

Gil Basketball Academy Natalie Cortes

When Natalie Cortes first picked up a basketball in the fifth grade, she found even the simple act of dribbling the ball extremely difficult.

Salinas, CA, May 19, 2020 - She almost gave up the sport that first day. But she refused to give up — a trait that became a huge part of the 14-year-old’s personality.

“After many years of practice and determination, not only did I learn how to dribble, but I also learned how to do many other skills, too,” she said.

Once she joined Gil Basketball Academy, she fell in love with the game, but at one point almost had to give it up entirely.

“My parents couldn’t afford me playing basketball in GBA Select because we had too many other things going on,” she said.

So Natalie took it upon herself to email her father’s boss to explain the situation. “Because of that I got sponsored so I was able to play again,” she said.

A freshman at Alisal High School, Natalie lives in Salinas with her parents, 12-year-old brother and two 6-year-old twin sisters.

A 5-foot, 2-inch point guard/shooting guard, Natalie has learned so much from basketball.

“It has helped me gain so much,” she said. “For example, being part of a team for all these years has shown me the value of teamwork, hardwork and determination, and paying attention to every detail. This has helped me in my life to become a better person mentally and physically.”

Through GBA, Natalie has learned the value of education, and her goal is to attend a university on scholarship. Her career choice? “I don't know what it is yet, but one thing I do know is that an education will get me places in the future.”

Natalie credits Gil Basketball Academy for helping her on and off the court.

“Overall, GBA has opened so many doors for me regarding basketball. Thanks to GBA, I was recruited by NCSA (Next College Student Athlete), which I unfortunately didn’t join for many reasons,” she said. “They helped me not only to gain more expertise in basketball, but to become a better person.”

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
https://gilbasketballacademy.com/

Gil Basketball Academy Player Profile Isabella Gonzalez

In many ways Isabella Gonzalez has two families.

Salinas, CA, May 16, 2020 - The 13-year-old lives with her two loving parents, two older brothers and her nana in North Salinas. Away from home Isabella experiences another close-knit environment as a member of Gil Basketball Academy.

“Because of GBA, I have another family,” she said. “It has helped me become a team player, and taught me to always work hard and to never give up. I love playing basketball and I think, without it, I wouldn’t be as motivated in life.”

The 5-foot, 1-inch shooting guard started playing basketball at the Rec Center at age 6, and joined the GBA Select Team two years later. This past season she averaged 15 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.

But it’s what happened off the court that affected her so profoundly. Sports have a way of creating a sense of uni­ty, and that showed when Isabella’s mother Susie was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I was in kindergarten, and as a 5 year old I was frightened that I was going to lose my mom,” she said. “It was so difficult to see her after her treatment and especially seeing her in the hospital. I would cry myself to sleep every night and also used to cry at school.”

Even now, every time her mom leaves to see her doctor at Stanford for a checkup, Isabella feels anxious and afraid that the cancer will return.

“It’s making me a strong person like my mom,” she said.

During her mom’s treatments, when she was really sick, “my GBA family made me feel like there was hope,” she said. “Some of the parents used to give me and my brothers rides to Stanford Hospital so we can see our mom. They would even bring food and let us stay at their houses, or took us places so my mom could rest.”

GBA also allowed Isabella to experience other cultures in different parts of the world.

“I’ve been to all the world tours that GBA has gone to,” she said. “I’ve been to New Zealand, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Italy and Mexico.”

In many of those countries, Isabella interacted with kids experiencing profound, daily life challenges, and that provided her a life lesson.

“Being in a foreign country, I have seen kids that aren’t as fortunate as I am, so my GBA family and I decided to give out some of our shoes and other things to them.”

The seventh grader attends Bolsa Knolls Middle School, and one day plans to attend a 4-year university to study in a medical field — and hopefully continue to play basketball.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
https://gilbasketballacademy.com/

Gil Basketball Academy Celebrates the Women of Basketball Meet Gabby Godinez

Gabriela “Gabby” Godinez, 18, has been playing basketball since she was 10 years old, and would do so after graduating high school this summer if they were more opportunities afforded her.

Salinas, CA, March 04, 2020 - A senior at Alisal High School, she has been playing organized basketball since the eighth grade and currently plays both basketball and tennis at Alisal, as well as after-school basketball at the Gil Basketball Academy run by Jose Gil, who is also Alisal’s athletic director.

Gabby hopes to attend Sacramento State in the fall, but doesn’t expect to play basketball for the college. At 5-foot-71/2 inches, Gabby plays either strong forward or center and has a strong defensive game.

She says playing basketball has taught her discipline, teamwork, communication, leadership, and, now that she’s older, becoming a role model and helping the younger girls.

“I like helping out with kids, help them become better,” she says. “I even asked my coach how I could become an assistant coach.”

She says she cried when Alisal’s regular season ended because she knew that would most likely be one of the last times she would play with her teammates.

“I really liked interacting with my teammates, it’s like a family. We’ve been together for three years.”

In the future, while she may not play as much basketball as she has during her school years, she hopes she may still be involved in the sport as a coach, to teach and encourage younger girl players.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
https://www.gilbasketballacademy.com/