How Sunday Basketball League gives scholars a better shot at life

Lyka Lagrama describes herself as the “last card of the family.” 

When Typhoon Odette hit the Visayas in 2021, the 19-year-old from Southern Leyte recalled how it “destroyed everything” in her home.  

“After that, my father decided to work as a construction worker just to help us survive,” Lyka said, noting that farming, her family’s main livelihood, became difficult.

But Lyka, determined to help her parents, received an unlikely assist when she received educational assistance all the way from Manila.

Together with several persevering students like her from different parts of the country, Lyka became a beneficiary of the scholarship program of Sunday Basketball League (SBL).

Founded by the Don Bosco Makati Batch 1998 alumni, SBL started as a friendly basketball league, gathering old classmates, father and sons, and new friends. 

The men of SBL — all of varying age, size, and profession — may seem to be just playing basketball pick-up games every Sunday. But the swishing of the net, the dribbling on the hardwood, and all the on-court action represent a purpose far bigger than their weekend hobby.

The fun games turned to serious talks beyond sports, leading to a partnership with their alma mater’s Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Center. Together, they select the scholars, help them gain high-level automotive, electronic and electrical skills, and build sustainable careers after graduating from the program.

For Lyka, receiving a scholarship made her hopeful again.

“Now, I’m here in Don Bosco trying to fulfill my dreams for my family. I called myself as a last card of the family. At ngayon… itutuloy ko ang pangarap para maiahon ang pamilya sa kahirapan (And now… I will pursue my dream to lift my family out of poverty),” she said.

“This scholarship helps me financially. It reduces my expenses in tuition. Because of this, I feel less worried about money, and my family also feels relieved.” 

King Jasper dela Cruz of Nueva Ecija, another SBL beneficiary, also shared how the scholarship helped lessen his parents’ worries.

“[Gusto] kong mabago ang buhay ko at ng pamilya ko dahil hirap lang kami sa buhay… at makatulong din sa aking mga magulang dahil nahihirapan na rin sila na pag-aralin kami nang sabay-sabay,” said King, the sixth among 10 children. 

“Kaya natuto akong mag working student, kaya laking pasasalamat ko dahil nakuha ako sa scholarship.”

(I want to change my life and that of my family because we’re poor… and I also want to help my parents because they’re also having a hard time keeping us all in school at the same time. I learned to be a working student, so I’m very grateful that I got the scholarship.)

Lyka and King may not know it, but diligent students like them make Sundays more meaningful for the SBL players.

“The most significant victories in this league never appear in the standings; they manifest in the lives of the scholars the league supports,” said SBL commissioner Brian Cervantes.

While the players all share the same passion for basketball, their different backgrounds help SBL sustain its scholarship program. Add to that their brotherhood on and off the court — rooted in their shared values and “Bosconian heritage” — makes it easier for them to work and play together.

“The strength of the SBL community lies in its professional diversity,” said Cervantes, noting that the community is composed of corporate executives, lawyers, doctors, engineers, artists, and business owners, who all help in their own way.

To aid more students, SBL said it also welcomes donations through commissioner Cervantes via the league’s official Facebook page: Sunday Basketball League-SBL.

“It’s a big help for me and especially for my parents,” said Rayzha Ubana, a scholar from Infanta, Quezon Province. “I am very grateful for this opportunity… to fulfill my dreams.” 

“The scholarship motivates me to do better,” said Lyka. “Knowing that I was given this opportunity encourages me to study harder so I won’t waste it. Because of this scholarship, I can continue my education and have a better chance of achieving my goals and getting a good job someday. I feel proud of myself, and it inspires me to keep going and work harder.” – Rappler.com