GIL BASKETBALL ACADEMY

June 2010

Volume 1, Issue 3

Gil Basketball Academy Newsletter

Inside this issue: Honoring Mr. Gilbert “Coach” Medina:

Coach Medina 1-5 One of our Community’s Finest Individuals
Coach’s Corner 6
“Coach Medina has been an inspiration to me ever
Michael Jordan 6 since I was once a player at Alisal High School, and
continues to be so now that I am a teacher, coach, and
Health & Nutrition 7
Executive Director of the Gil Basketball Academy. He
Asset of the Month 8 has always been part of my extended „family,” one of
Youth Programs 8 our core values in GBA.” ---Coach José Gil

You can always count on him to be by the side of Ali-

sal High School’s Basketball boys at each of their
games. In fact, where he sits during the games is
symbolic of what he means to this team, Alisal High
School in general, the larger Salinas community, and
most importantly, his family. He always sits at the end
of the team bench sort of like an anchor that keeps a
ship in place. Or rather, symbolically, like a bookend
that is used to keep things together and standing. He
has served as a pillar of strength throughout Alisal’s
GBA’s
many seasons. Amazingly, this year will mark 32
years since he first became involved with the Trojans
Core Values
beginning when his kids first started attending AHS.
Although all seven of his kids have long since graduated he is still involved and
managing to keep those he surrounds anchored, together, and standing tall. Be-
 Resiliency
cause of his service and commitment he was recently inducted into Alisal High’s
 Respect Wall of Fame—an honor well deserved. A large banner with his image now deco-
rates the walls of the “House of Thrills” that will forever make him a presence. What
 Responsibility
is even more remarkable is that his involvement has now expanded to serving as
 Sportsmanship one of GBA’s very own volunteer coaches. He tirelessly comes in ready to coach
and work with the kids. If that wasn’t enough his involvement has also expanded
 Family
from the basketball courts into the classrooms. At the invitation of AHS Coach Mad-
rigal, he has been visiting classrooms and giving talks to students about his life and
the many things he has learned along the way.
Page 2 Gil Basketball Academy Newsletter

His life story is definitely one worth repeating and one in which all of our GBA participants and families can
benefit from hearing. Throughout his seventy-seven years he has personally witnessed numerous historical events
including the Korean War as well as the transformation of communities including our own East Salinas. He always
titles his talks to the students “Hungry and Plenty.” You will soon understand why. His mother was born in Riverside,
California, and his father was born in Coahuila, Mexico. He in turn was born in Santa Paula, California, which is lo-
cated about 65 miles northwest of Los Angeles and 14 miles east of Ventura. Much like Salinas, it is rich in agricul-
ture. Unlike Salinas it is surrounded by lots of orange, lemon, and avocado groves and is commonly referred to as
the “Citrus Capital of the World.” At the age of seven he and his family had to move from this small knit community.
This move in turn became the first of many moves that characterizes the lives of migrant workers. Throughout his
years growing up he always knew that his family was really poor. They worked throughout many communities in
California including Gilroy, where they picked prunes, and outside of Salinas in 1948, where they picked walnuts.
After that they migrated to the Central Valley and picked cotton in Bakersfield during the late 1940s. At the age of 14
he had to stop going to school which he said was common for many Mexican American migrant youth during that
time period. Another commonality that he remembers is how in many migrant camps such as in Bakersfield you had
Mexicans, Blacks, and poor Whites working and living side by side. One of the things he remembers about this co-
existence is how peaceful it was and how he never saw a fight. He further states how they all“ lived in peace,”
“because none of us had anything that we could steal from each other.” “We lived in peace,” he concludes.
Soon thereafter, he and his family migrated back to the Salinas Valley to work and in 1950 decided to stay
there permanently. Toiling the fields in the cooler Salinas weather was a huge plus in making that permanent deci-
sion. His brother was only a few years older than he was and his sister a few years younger.
Hungry No More
He says that one of the reasons the first part of his talk is titled “Hungry”
is because during the years that he and his family were moving from one city to
the next in search of work there was a time in which they didn’t even have
enough for a loaf of bread. Like he said earlier, he always knew that his family
was poor. However, this time for the first time they had gotten so poor that they
didn’t even have enough money to eat. He remembers being very hungry. Dur-
ing that time, he recalls, there was no such thing as welfare or section 8 to pro-
vide any assistance for basic necessities like food or shelter. There is a big differ-
ence between being poor and not having “wants” and being poor and not even
having things like food on the table. His mother was always the one who would
save every penny they would earn. These savings kept the family afloat and sur-
viving. Work became scarce though and the money soon ran out. He was 17
years old with no more schooling. He remembers desperately wanting to be able
to purchase something to eat but not even having any money to buy bread. His
mom would often cry about their dire situation. Fortunately, his extended family including his aunts and uncles soon
embraced and helped them get through this crisis and ultimately to survive and stay alive.
Things started to turn around for them when he and his brother and father were able to secure work with the
Hardin Company in Salinas. He remembers that their first check was for $15. One of his greatest joys was seeing his
mother smile once again that her children would no longer have to go hungry. At that moment he had made up his
mind that they would never go hungry again. So he and his family dedicated themselves to working as much as they
could. His father even went so far as to purchase miner lights so that they could continue to work into the night.
Some in the community considered this move as the Medina family being “money hungry.” However, since they
were being paid under the piece rate system the more they worked the more they made. In fact, piece rates were a
common method of payment for farm workers who harvested fields. Farm workers were often paid, for example, for
each box of fruit or vegetables that they produced. The piece rate system was also unpredictable in which workers
would often work 10 plus hour days and then go for weeks without work. Since it was also based on the market and
weather which was also unpredictable, he and his family did not want to take the chance again of going through an-
Page 3 Gil Basketball Academy Newsletter

other instance of no work, running out of money, and going hungry once again.
Never again.
In 1951, he proudly affirms, his family had saved enough money from all of
their hard work and back breaking labor to finally attain the American dream of
purchasing a home on East Alisal Street. This meant that they could finally establish
some roots and move no more. Interspersed throughout his talk to students is the
advice that if you work hard for something and towards something things are go-
ing to be ok.
Serving His Country
Two years after purchasing their home, Mr. Medina went from working in
the fields in the Salinas Valley to serving his country on an international scale. On
June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea setting off an open warfare which
soon became known in the US as the Korean War. The US soon became embroiled
in this military conflict and committed military troops to aid South Korea. China and
the Soviet Union in turn came to the aid of North Korea. This war went from being a
civil war to being one of the first significant armed conflicts between powers involved in the larger Cold War. On
May 17, 1953, Mr. Medina was drafted and began his military service in the Army. His older brother had also been
drafted and was shipped to serve in Germany. He on the other hand, served in Korea for a year and a half. When he
returned to Salinas, from having served in this war, he came back with a different mindset. Although he didn’t know
what the future had in store for him he did know that he didn’t want to return to working in the fields. “The older you
get the more you start to see things differently,” is the piece of advice he interjects at this point in his talk to stu-
dents. After he returned home from the service he decided to work in construction and other manual labor jobs.
Even though many of these jobs were not steady, he still preferred them to those in the fields.
Finding Love
Besides his family’s attainment of the American Dream, another important event unfolded in the life of Mr.
Medina in 1951. It was that same year that he met Rosella the person who would become his own anchor and ulti-
mately the love of his life for the next almost sixty years. Upon returning from the war he was happy to know that she
had patiently waited for him. At last he had also found steady work at a garbage company even though in the back
of his mind he knew that this line of work was not for him. After six years of dating he also finally proposed to her.
He asked her parents for her hand in marriage and on March 1 st they were married through the “civil” in El Centro,
California. His plans were to take her to visit Mexicali following their civil marriage. However, her parents quickly
objected stating that he would be going by himself. He and Rosella, they avowed, first needed to get married by the
church before she would be allowed to go anywhere alone with him. Well they soon made it official by the church
and started their union of love. In addition to being his anchor she also became his second half--or rather the other
bookend--as they started to have and raise their children together. He also found a new job with a company back in
Salinas. He moved as high up in the company that he possible could. In 1962, he and his wife saved enough money
so that they too could attain their own American Dream with the purchase of a home in East Salinas. It is a home that
to this day he and Rosella still live in after all of these years. Yes, they sometimes struggled to make sure they paid
their mortgage and provide all of their children with clothes and shoes. For the most part, however, they made it all
right because he was always working. Having lived in the same home for forty-eight years, he and his wife have
seen a lot of transformations in this East Salinas “Alisal” community. Interestingly, when they first moved there, he
states, they used to call the Alisal area “Okie Town.” There were a lot of poor and working-class Whites who had
settled in this area to also toil in the fields of the Salinas Valley. It was a wave of migration that began during the
Great Depression of the 1930s. These migrant workers became known as “Okies” even though the more than 3,500
who settled in this East Salinas community came from many states throughout the Great Plains in an effort to escape
the Dust Bowl. They were soon joined by Filipino laborers. Just like when he lived in a multi-racial community in Ba-
kersfield, here too in this community he never encountered any problems with anyone.
Page 4 Gil Basketball Academy Newsletter

A Successful Family: His Proudest Accomplishment

Mr. Medina has a lot to be proud of including surviving poverty, his strong work ethic, becoming a home
owner, and finding someone to share it all with. One of the things he is most proud of and which he speaks with the
upmost joy is raising a successful family. He and Rosella have raised a total of seven children. His first three borne,
intriguingly, were girls while the last four were boys. Although he never finished his schooling, he is proud of the
fact that he was able to instill in all of them a strong work ethic and the importance of a higher education. When
speaking about each of his daughters you can hear it through his voice how proud he is of every one of them. He
highlights how they were able to land really good jobs even though they did not go on to college. When speaking of
his sons he equally beams with pride in noting how they all achieved a college education. “I tried to help them out
the little bit that I could,” he humbly claims, while starting to point out how his eldest is now a teacher, another an
engineer, and yet another a supervisor for UPS. It seems that despite the many challenges he has overcome
throughout his life, the harvesting of a successful family is one that he is most proud of.
Now Plenty
The second part to the title of his talk to youth is titled “Plenty.” Vowing never to experience hunger again,
he emphasizes how plentiful his life is now both in terms of blessings and yes, even food. Having survived his own
Great Depression not of the 1930s but of his own family’s particular “Great Depression” during the 1950s, he now
stocks up on lots of food. “My house is never empty and I always try to have plenty of food,” he jokingly but seri-
ously asserts. This stockpiling of food, however, serves a greater purpose for he and his wife. The plenty they now
have is to fulfill another one of their principles which is “plenty to share.” They buy food and give a lot of it away to
feed the homeless. It is a labor of love in which a lot of their kids are involved in with them. Now that he is officially
retired, his new found hobby is cultivated his own garden and growing his own vegetables and fruits. He does this
again with the purpose of sharing his plentiful harvest.
“Retired”
Quotes are placed around the word retired because
although he has officially retired from employment, we all
know that he has yet to retire from all of his service to the
community especially youth. He is now entering his 33 rd year
of serving Alisal High School as a volunteer. “When you want
something, you have to work for it!” you can hear him ex-
claiming to students. He loves talking with kids and under-
scoring his value that you can’t always depend on others to
give and give. One of the reasons why he loves to tell his life
story, now that he has been given the opportunity to do so, is
to wake youth up a little he maintains. Indirectly, his story also
serves as an example of the very good hearted and hard
working individuals and families who have positively helped shape the history and community of East Salinas for the
past couple of decades. His story is just one example of a number of East Salinas families who despite many socio-
economic challenges have amazingly been able to attain another American Dream which is to send their children off
to college. Many of these same children who grew up in East Salinas have in turn now become successful profes-
sionals. Mr. Medina fondly remembers one of his dear friends of 44 years Cesario Ramirez who recently passed
away in 2009 and who worked for many years in the strawberries. It was with Mr. Ramirez in mind that he first pro-
posed the idea of a Hall of Fame for Alisal High to honor individuals other than the coaches. He wanted Mr. Ramirez
to be recognized for the many hours of volunteer work he did from purchasing trees to beautifying the campus to
serving as an advisor to the football program. He remembers the day when he and Mr. Ramirez were two of only a
handful of fans who would zealously see Alisal play both at home and at all away games. Mr. Ramirez had also suc-
cessfully raised a number of children who graduated from Alisal High and who in turn came back to serve as
Coaches to many of the AHS athletic programs. Unbeknownst to him, Mr. Medina too became nominated and in-
Page 5 Gil Basketball Academy Newsletter

ducted into the Hall of Fame.

Usually when individuals are inducted into any Hall of Fame it is because of a major past deed or accom-
plishment. In Mr. Medina’s case, on the other hand, he is still serving as a volunteer and doing many of the same
things he was inducted for in the first place. One of the areas he has had to understandably cut back in has been his
physical presence with the Alisal High Boys’ Basketball team. When his wife Rosella suffered a heart attack it was a
very scary time in his life. Although she has since recovered the thought of leaving her alone at home so that he
could attend a basketball game in San Jose, for instance, and something happening is unbearable. His wife and fam-
ily are first and foremost and are the foundation from which everything else follows. He is also elated that one of his
successful sons has been able to purchase two homes near their home that allows for family members to check up
on his wife. While he has cut back in one area, he has taken on another role as a volunteer that enables him to al-
ways be close to his wife and is not as time consuming. Mr. Medina has always served as an honorary coach to Alisal
High’s many basketball teams throughout the years. This year, Coach Gil asked him if he could serve as an actual
coach to GBA’s participants who range from the ages of 4 to 17. “I told Coach Gil who has always treated me out of
this world, that if you really think that I can help the program then I am in,” he reiterated. For now, he says he is go-
ing to do whatever he can to continue to help out GBA kids. Anyone who sees him on any given evening coaching
the little ones knows that it is something he truly loves doing and is quite natural at. “Of course if my wife needs me
by her side once again I will do so,” again reaffirming his value that family always comes first as it should. “So far
things are all right,” he concludes.
The hardest part of his talk
Out of all the challenges he has faced including hunger, the one that far surpasses them all is the loss of his
dear son Gilbert Medina Jr. It is a part of his talk to students that he has chosen to include. He wants today’s genera-
tion to know that throughout life you will hopefully experience many triumphs but that there might be times when
tragedy hits home. For him it hit him hard when on July 30 th, a Sunday, a police officer parked in front of his home.
He looked out his front window curious as to why he had parked. All of a sudden he heard a knock at his door from
this same officer. The first thing the officer asked was whether he was Mr. Medina. The next thing he remembered
was hearing the words “I have some bad news for you.” The officer had gotten a call that Mr. Medina’s son had
drowned. He had drowned in the very same lake his whole family had had many happy memories at from family
reunions to weekend outings. Prior to this incident, he affirms, life was so beautiful for him and his whole family.
Everything was coming together for each one of his children especially his son Gilbert whom he shared a special
bond with including his name. Gilbert Jr. was his youngest boy and the last to graduate from Alisal High. In May of
1995, he pridefully boasts, his son graduated from the prestigious University of California at Berkeley. Since Mr. Me-
dina’s home had been finally paid off, he asked his son Gilbert if he wanted a trip to Hawaii or a new car for his
graduation. Gilbert Jr. chose the latter. At UC Berkeley not only did he get a degree but it is where he met his girl-
friend. His son could not be happier.
Just like the other part of his life that he shares with students, this is a part that also has a story and life lesson
to leave others with. “Just because you have something today,” he interjects, “doesn’t mean that you always will
have that something.” That is why it is so important to tell your brothers and sisters that you love them whenever
and wherever you can, he tells the kids. Moreover, a simple gesture like giving your mother a flower and saying
that it is especially for her is powerful. In the twinkle of an eye his world was turned upside down. To this day it still
hurts like if it had just happened. It is a life lesson that asks us not only to show our love for others through our un-
spoken actions and daily routines that illustrate that we love them. It is a lesson that asks us to verbally tell others
that we love them and verbalize how special they are to us.
Mr. Medina looks forward to turning 80 years soon. He says that he tries to do the best that he can on a daily
basis and in the meantime will continue to work with GBA and tend to his vegetable garden. He is indeed hungry no
more and has plenty to share with others including the values that have made him the person, family man, friend,
and now coach that he is. We thank you Mr. Gilbert “Coach” Medina for who you are and what you have given to so
many. Thank you for being our anchor.
Page 6 Gil Basketball Academy Newsletter

Coach’s Corner by Jose Gil

GBA’s Traveling Teams: “Bu Yah Ballers” out was great.
Our academy will offer the opportunity for Finally, besides the Bu yah Ballers traveling
some of our kids to travel and compete this summer the state this summer to compete in tournaments, we
through our Bu Yah Ballers AAU (Amateur Athletic Un- are planning the GBA summer events as well. A cal-
ion) program. Bu Yah Ballers is a portion of GBA that endar for GBA sponsored events is coming soon.
will be offered to the members that are serious about Here are a few of the activities our members will be
competing at a more intense level. Bu Yah Ballers will invited to attend: Stanford University tour, GBA Sum-
be unlike any traveling team around. We believe in mer Basketball Camp, San Jose Tech Museum visit,
our values and will stick to them in our AAU teams. Coast Guard tour in the Monterey Bay, GBA movie
We are a family oriented, GBA organized, affordable, night, and other fun and exciting events.
yet not time consuming travel basketball experience
for our athletes.
GBA plans on sending Bu Yah Ballers teams to
tournaments throughout the summer. We will be con-
siderate of the travel expenses and destinations of the
tournaments. Once again, this option of GBA is not
mandatory and will be offered to the GBA members
who would like to compete in a more competitive set-
ting. We held our first try-outs this month and the turn-

Michael Jordan Flight School

Dear Coach Gil,
On behalf of Michael Jordan, I wish to extend to on a Col-
you an invitation to work the 15th addition of his Flight lege cam-
School (basketball camp). Michael will be in atten- pus, meet-
dance for each day of the camp. Nobody spends more ing and in-
time at his camp than Michael. In essence “MJ” is the teracting
greatest. Thanks for your kind consideration of Mi- with kids
chael‟s request of your services. from vari-
—Mark Raveling, Camp Coordinator ous parts of
the world,
learning the fundamentals of basketball from some
We want GBA to be represented at this year’s camp in of the best coaches in the US, and being around the
Santa Barbara, CA in August. My dream has been to greatest basketball player in the history of the sport.
share my experiences with family, friends, and now What an awesome experience! Our goal is to even-
GBA extended family as well. With this being said, I tually take as many of our GBA kids as possible and
will coach his camp once again this year and the invi- give them an experience of a lifetime. GBA is al-
tation goes for every child signed up in GBA. So far, ways trying to show our members that we care and
more than 10 GBA members are registered to partici- value them. We want to increase their opportuni-
pate at Jordan’s camp this summer! ties, experiences and assets that will in turn make
The advantages of me being one of his coaches them successful in life.
should make our GBA members experience reward-
ing and comfortable. It eases the transition of being

Health & Nutrition: Five of the Best Strategies for Eating Healthy
Whether you have
a toddler or a teen, here
are five of the best strate-
gies to improve nutrition
and encourage smart eat-
ing habits:
 Have regular family
meals.
 Serve a variety of healthy
foods and snacks.
 Be a role model by eating
healthy yourself.
 Avoid battles over food.
 Involve kids in the process.
But it's not easy when everyone is
juggling busy schedules and con-
venience food, such as fast food, is
so readily available.
Here are some ways
to incorporate all five strategies
into your routine.
Family Meals
Family meals are a com-
forting ritual for both parents and
kids. Children like the predict-
ability of family meals and parents
get a chance to catch up with their
kids. Kids who take part in regular
family meals are also: more likely
to eat fruits, vegetables, and
grains less likely to snack on un-
healthy foods less likely to smoke,
use marijuana, or drink alcohol
In addition, family meals offer the
chance to introduce kids to new
foods and to act as a role model
for healthy eating.
Teens may turn up their noses at
the prospect of a family meal —
not surprising because they're
busy and want to be more inde-
pendent. Yet studies find that
teens still want their parents' ad-
vice and counsel, so use mealtime
as a chance to recon-
nect. Also, consider
trying these strategies:
Allow your teen to in-
vite a friend to dinner.
Involve your teen in
meal planning and preparation.
Keep mealtime calm and conge-
nial — no lectures or arguing.
What counts as a family meal? Any
time you and your family eat to-
gether — whether it's takeout food
or a home-cooked meal with all
the trimmings. Strive for nutritious
food and a time when everyone
can be there. This may mean eat-
ing dinner a little later to accom-
modate a child who's at sports
practice. It can also mean setting
aside time on the weekends, such
as Sunday brunch, when it may be
more convenient to gather as a
group.
Stocking Up on Healthy Foods
Kids, especially younger
ones, will eat mostly what's avail-
able at home. That's why it's im-
portant to control the supply lines
— the foods that you serve for
meals and have on hand for
snacks. Follow these basic guide-
lines:
Work fruits and vegetables into
the daily routine, aiming for the
goal of at least five servings a day.
Be sure you serve fruit or vegeta-
bles at every meal.
Make it easy for kids to choose
healthy snacks by keeping fruits
and vegetables on hand and ready
to eat. Other good snacks include
low-fat yogurt, peanut butter and
celery, or whole-grain crackers
and cheese.
Serve lean meats and other good
Page 7
sources of protein, such as fish,
eggs, beans, and nuts.
Choose whole-grain breads and
cereals so kids get more fiber.
Limit fat intake by avoiding deep-
fried foods and choosing healthier
cooking methods, such as broil-
ing, grilling, roasting, and steam-
ing. Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy
products.
Limit fast food and low-nutrient
snacks, such as chips and candy.
But don't completely ban favorite
snacks from your home. Instead,
make them "once-in-a-while"
foods, so kids don't feel deprived.
Limit sugary drinks, such as soda
and fruit-flavored drinks. Serve
water and low-fat milk instead.
How to Be a Role Model
The best way for you to
encourage healthy eating is to eat
well yourself. Kids will follow the
lead of the adults they see every
day. By eating fruits and vegeta-
bles and not overindulging in the
less nutritious stuff, you'll be send-
ing the right message.
Another way to be a good role
model is to serve appropri-
ate portions and not overeat. Talk
about your feelings of fullness,
especially with younger children.
You might say, "This is delicious,
but I'm full, so I'm going to stop
eating." Similarly, parents who are
always dieting or complaining
about their bodies may foster
these same negative feelings in
their kids. Try to keep a positive
approach about food.
Don't Battle Over Food
It's easy for food to be-
come a source of conflict. Well-
intentioned parents might find
Page 8 Gil Basketball Academy Newsletter

June Asset of the Month: Youth Programs #18

Youth programs—which include sports, scout- • Overall, are you happy with how many different
ing, recreation, camps, after-school programs, and things you do with your time?
religious programs—can provide fulfilling • Are your activities stimulating and chal-
experiences that help young people de- lenging?
velop new skills and master challenges.
• Are you making friends with caring, re-
They also provide a safe place for youth
sponsible adults in your activities?
outside of school where they can be in con-
tact with caring non-parent adults. • Are you learning new skills and talents,
and acquiring new knowledge?
Research shows that the develop-
mental asset of participation in youth pro- • Do these activities bring out your best?
grams results in increased self esteem; better devel-
opment of life skills, leadership skills, and public If the young person can’t answer “yes” to most of
speaking abilities; fewer psychosocial problems such these questions, then it may be time to discuss the
as loneliness, shyness, and program’s activities with
hopelessness; decreased the adults in charge or to
risk behaviors; and more “Young people spend three or more hours help the youth find new,
thriving indicators. per week in sports, clubs, or organizations meaningful activities that
Nearly half of the at school and/or in community better meet his or her in-
youth in Santa Clara organizations.” terests.
County don’t participate in
youth programs. To help
raise awareness of the importance of this develop-
mental asset, June is Youth Programs month for GBA.
The following discussion topics, adapted from
the book What Teens Need to Succeed, can help
young people of all ages recognize the value of youth
programs, and better understand the benefits of the
programs in which they participate:

The Importance of Youth Programs

Activities
For families
Make sure that your children are participating in
positive, asset-building youth programs that they
enjoy. If they’re not, help them find new programs
that meet their interests. Help them understand
that they might not fully enjoy or benefit from the pro-
gram immediately, and encourage them to
make a time commitment of a certain number of
weeks or months to give the program an adequate
chance.
When your younger children join a new program,
help them with introductions to their peers.
They’ll feel more comfortable and confident when
they know the other participants.
At mealtime, ask your children specific questions
about the activities, leaders, and other participants
in their youth programs. It’s a good way to spark con-
Page 9
(Continued from page 8)
versation and to make sure that their programs are
meeting their needs and interests.
While participating in sports can be positive
for young people, the intense competition that can
occur in sports programs typically is not. Make sure
that coaches balance the competitive aspect of sports
with the development of positive skills like leader-
ship, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. Role-model
positive behavior when attending sporting events.
Good sportsmanship in the bleachers helps
youth practice managing their own responses to chal-
lenges and successes.
For all adults
Youth programs can provide excellent volun-
teer opportunities! If you have a skill or talent to
share, offering it in a youth program is a great way to
make a difference.
Looking for ongoing or one-time youth volun-
teers? Check with the leaders of youth programs near
you. Your needs might dovetail with one of their ser-
vice or skills development projects, making it
(Continued from page 7)
themselves bargaining or bribing kids so they eat the
healthy food in front of them. A better strategy is to
give kids some control, but to also limit the kind of
foods available at home.
Kids should decide if they're hungry, what
they will eat from the foods served, and when they're
full. Parents control which foods are available to the
child, both at mealtime and between meals. Here are
some guidelines to follow:
Establish a predictable schedule of meals and
snacks. It's OK to choose not to eat when both parents
and kids know when to expect the next meal or snack.
Don't force kids to clean their plates. Doing so
teaches kids to override feelings of fullness.
Gil Basketball Academy Newsletter
possible for youth to serve as resources and gain
valuable experience.
At school or in youth programs
Youth program staff have exceptional oppor-
tunities to serve as asset builders for the youth they
serve, acting as role models, mentors, and caring,
non-family adults. Make sure that all program staff
have been trained in the developmental assets frame-
work, with additional guidance to identify and take
advantage of asset building opportunities that arise.
Regularly review activity plans with an eye
toward providing opportunities for youth members to
help decide and plan activities, and finding ways to
incorporate service opportunities into the program’s
primary mis-
sion. Intention-
ally make it a
top priority for
program staff
to be a positive
influence on
the youth in
your program.
Don't bribe or reward kids with food. Avoid
using dessert as the prize for eating the meal.
Don't use food as a way of showing love. When
you want to show love, give kids a hug, some of your
time, or praise.
Get Kids Involved
Most kids will enjoy deciding what to make for
dinner. Talk to them about making choices and plan-
ning a balanced meal. Some might even want to help
shop for ingredients and prepare the meal. At the
store, teach kids to check out food labels to begin un-
derstanding what to look for.
In the kitchen, select age-appropriate tasks so
kids can play a part without getting injured or feeling
overwhelmed. And at the end of the meal, don't forget
to praise the chef.
 Gil Basketball Academy
Jose Gil, Executive Director
1522 Constitution Blvd.
Suite 213
Salinas, CA 93905
Phone: 831-710-1499
E-mail: coach@gilbasketballacademy.com

Hoopin’ for Change

We’re on the web!

www.gilbasketballacademy.com
We’re on Facebook!
Gil Basketball Academy

May Practice Dates, Times, and Location

 Thurs, May 20th, 6 to 9 p.m. at Alisal High
 Mon, May 24th, 6 to 9 p.m. at Alisal High A huge thanks to Julio Gil and the Central Coast
Sign Factory for the awesome trailer wrap design
above and for so many other GBA projects!

(Continued from page 9) lead to a lifetime of healthier

choices.
School lunches can be an-
other learning lesson for kids. If you have any
More important, if you can get suggestions for fu-
them thinking about what they eat
for lunch, you might be able to
ture articles please
help them make positive changes. (This month’s article on Healthy email Noemi Gar-
Brainstorm about what kinds of Eating is from an awesome web- cia Reyes (GBA
foods they'd like for lunch or go to site www.kidshealth.org by Ne-
the grocery store to shop together Board member,
mours which is one of the largest
for healthy, packable foods. non-profit organizations dedicated grant writer, and
There's another important to children’s health.) newsletter editor)
reason why kids should be in-
volved: It can help prepare them
at
to make good decisions on their noemi.garcia.reyes
own about the foods they want to @gmail.com.
eat. That's not to say they'll sud-
denly want a salad instead of
French fries, but the mealtime
habits you help create now can