Shooting hoops

Andrea Roberts
Times Intern

 

The Strathmore Filipino Canadian Association’s (SFCA) basketball team is helping to represent Strathmore in the Calgary Filipino Basketball League and were able to make it to the championship game in their first year. The team took on the league’s defending champions but lost in the end.
“We represent Strathmore in Calgary,” said Lex Rueda, the team’s coach. “So our small town will be represented by Filipinos but unfortunately we don’t have any Canadian big guys who can play with us. But next time we will invite them so we can be a solid team.”
While the Strathmore Filipino Canadian Association has had a number of basketball teams, this is the first year they played in the league and will be playing in it again next year.
However, Rueda is worried the team will not be able to get enough practice for the next season as they have to rent out the basketball courts either at Strathmore High School or at Holy Cross Collegiate School.
While playing basketball helps players to meet other Filipino associations in Calgary, the SFCA also wants to create a sense of community within the town.
“The purpose of this association is to help each other,” he said “It is to have camaraderie, so we can introduce our traditions and our other activities from our native land to Canada.”
Rueda hinted that some of these customs and traditions will be shown off during the Strathmore Stampede Parade, but for now it will remain a surprise.