The basketball school run by UJOBB continues to grow and now has expanded its corners to continue teaching basketball and values to hundreds of girls, boys and adolescents.
At the beginning of June, the little school arrived in the Colón neighborhood, the first outside the Buceo Club. That is why Básquet Total spoke with Álvaro Aunchayna, the popular “sweet”, founding father of this project, which grows and grows every week for the pride of its members.
How did you come up with the idea of taking the little basketball school out of the Buceo Club specifically in Colón?
It all started when it occurred to us to recover the place in the former plaza No. 9, in Hansen and Daniel Zorrilla, behind the AFE station in Colón. The idea came up with a group of amateur basketball friends, who are all from the area, years ago we got together to play on Saturdays and Sundays. There, based on a lot of effort and thanks to the people of the Yegros club who currently have custody of the former plaza, we began weekend after weekend to recover everything you can imagine.
Also here in the neighborhood I was always the “sweet one”, the one who grew up in that area, but I am also a referee and I feel that I represent UJOBB in all that I do. In the midst of all this, I also threw the idea into the WhatsApp group that we all have what we go to the square, to be able to give classes like School, the same as in diving and the truth is that they liked it.
How did you get in touch with Luis “Bicho” Silveira to give the classes and why was it decided that the space will bear his name?
At that moment I tell the people of UJOBB an idea that I had. That it was to honor the “Bug” and they all loved it. So we held a reopening day to officially name “Luis Bicho Silveira Space” with the presence of Luis.
Because I am of the idea that tributes are made in life, the “Bug” has given us a lot by being a sponsor of the Little School in Diving and he deserves that tribute. Once the space was recovered, we made him go and he was so happy that he said ‘here I have to do something’. So right there he decided to be part of this initiative with his family and we are happy to have him.
How many children go to Colón?
At this time we could say that an average of 70 girls and boys.
How were they received in the neighborhood, by the children and residents of the area?
Every weekend we notice that more and more families are approaching the place. With the subject of basketball classes they were very happy and the reception is very good.
Did you think that the Little School initiative could go as far as it has come so far?
I really didn’t know I could do it because I had done it before, in Libertad Colón, in the Plaza de La Paz. I honestly enjoy it very much. But I think I’m not very aware of everything that is happening to us with this project, but I am yes, very dreamer and that makes my head always crawl something.
How much do the players and other judges influence it?
Well I am really very grateful to everyone, both players and colleagues. The support is very comforting, the influence is very positive
What remains to be done in the little school?
In order to continue growing, perhaps improve the infrastructure and get more support, ideas, I have many.
Is the idea of continuing to reach more neighborhoods?
Yes of course. The idea is to follow this path, to get where basketball does not go, recovering fields that are abandoned, there are unfortunately many and a recovered field, there can be many children learning basketball, but also values.
When are the school classes taught both at the Buceo Club and in Colón?
Well at the Buceo Club, there in Santiago Rivas 1550, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6:15 p.m. for girls and boys from 7 to 13 years old; and Tuesday and Thursday at 6:15 p.m. for girls and boys from 13 to 18 years old.
In Colón it is in Waldemar Hansen and Daniel Zorrilla, behind the AFE station every Thursday from 5:30 pm by Luis “Bicho” Silveira for girls and boys from 8 to 12 years old.
The space is totally free, for any questions or registrations contact me ‘Álvaro Aunchayna’ at 097 575 846.