The initiative, promoted by the Gran Canaria Basketball Veterans Association and sponsored by Canaluz, turned the Pepe Armas courts into a space where sport once again demonstrated that it knows no barriers.
SEE ALL THE IMAGES AT THIS LINK. PHOTOS: MARCOS DE RADA
Basketball proved once again yesterday afternoon that its greatest victory isn't always reflected on a scoreboard. The Pepe Armas courts in Siete Palmas hosted one of the most special days of the eleventh edition of the Canaluz Summer Basketball Clinic with the celebration of 'Basketball Without Barriers,' an experience of coexistence and inclusion led by the boys and girls of the Felices con Narices Association , who shared training, games, and smiles with the Clinic participants.
For an hour and a half, the ball was the perfect tool to overcome any differences. The young athletes from Clínic welcomed the members of the association with the natural ease that only sport can provide, forming mixed teams, sharing drills, and participating together in various challenges designed by the coaches of the Gran Canaria Basketball Veterans Association.
Beyond the technique or the results, the session was marked by hugs, camaraderie, spontaneous applause, and countless expressions of affection that emerged as the activity progressed. An afternoon where everyone learned from everyone else.
Carmelo Cabrera , the Olympic ambassador for Canaluz , a Canary Islands legend of Spanish basketball and technical director of the Clínic, highlighted the enormous value of an initiative of this kind.
"Some training sessions teach you how to dribble the ball better, and others teach you how to be a better person. Today we experienced one of those sessions that alone justifies all the effort involved in organizing a clinic like this. Basketball has an enormous power to unite people, and today it has demonstrated that once again."
For his part, Canaluz's Director of Communication and Marketing, Héctor Pérez, stressed that the company's commitment to sports transcends the purely competitive sphere.
"At Canaluz, we believe that the most important energy is the energy we are able to generate among people. That's why we support projects that use sport as a tool for integration, community, and personal development. Seeing the joy that filled the air yesterday on the court confirms that initiatives like this deserve our full support."
The Felices con Narices Association also wanted to express their gratitude for the invitation and the sensitivity shown by the organization.
"Our boys and girls have had a fantastic time. They felt like one of the family from the very first minute, and that is precisely what true inclusion is. We leave with full hearts and eager to do it again next year."
The day once again highlighted the social dimension that the Summer Clinic, organized by the Association of Veterans of Basketball of Gran Canaria , has acquired, which in this eleventh edition continues to consolidate itself as one of the great summer events of Canary Island basketball.
All of this is made possible thanks to the main sponsorship of Canaluz , whose commitment to grassroots sport and educational values is once again evident, as well as the close collaboration of the Gran Canaria Island Council , through the Island Sports Institute , which supports an initiative that combines sports training, coexistence and social inclusion.
'Cardio-protected Basketball' session for today
The Clinic will continue this afternoon with another training session that will once again focus on values that transcend the sport itself. Between 17:30 and 18:00 PM today, all participants will receive a practical workshop on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) , an initiative led by Canaluz ambassador Carmelo Cabrera and part of the "Cardio-Protected Basketball" project . This initiative aims to raise awareness among young people about the importance of knowing how to act in the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest, making sport a tool for protecting life.
The highly anticipated 'Canaluz Challenge' arrives on Thursday
After yesterday's exciting day, the Clínic now faces one of its most anticipated moments. Tomorrow, Thursday, the Pepe Armas courts will host the first edition of the 'Canaluz Challenge' , a fun-filled day expected to be packed with skill contests, team challenges, competitions, surprises, trophies, and numerous prizes for all participants.
It will be an afternoon designed to continue enjoying basketball from a playful perspective, rewarding the camaraderie, effort and participation that have characterized this 11th edition.
The 11th Canaluz Summer Basketball Clinic will conclude next Friday, July 17 , with the closing ceremony and the awarding of diplomas to all participants, putting the finishing touch on an edition that has once again confirmed the enormous success of an initiative that, eleven years later, continues to grow on and off the court.
