Ricardo

Ricardo's Video #2

"Hi, my name is Ricardo. I'm 19 years old and I'm a basketball coach in the City of Hoboken. I love coaching basketball, because I love the sport, I love the energy it brings, I love the confidence it brings, and I love teaching kids the right way to do basketball. Another reason I like teaching kids how to play basketball, is because when I was younger I was taught myself how to play basketball by someone who cared for me, and they wanted to teach me, they wanted to get me off the streets, they wanted to just do the right thing, be a mentor to me. So I feel like if I can be that person to someone else, I can change lives the way my life was changed. So being a role model to other kids probably not that much younger than me, it can help them a lot, they can relate to me. I've grown up with a lot of kids that I've coached. They look at me now like, "Wow, you're really going places!" I say, just keep your head on your shoulders and always look forward. So being a basketball coach is more than just basketball, it has to do with life and perspective, teaching discipline... drills and stuff. You have to be disciplined to learn. If you're not willing to learn, then it's not a very good educational thing. It applies in schools... you can't play basketball if you're failing. If you find a love for the sport it can help in other aspects. I fell in love with the sport, I wasn't that good, like I said, once my mentor helped me, I found the love for the sport, I started caring, I cared more in school, so it really improved the person and it really improved the person's knowledge. So basketball is a very big help for most kids. Some kids, it's all they got. It can help you get a scholarship. So that's why I do what I do. I'm Ricardo and I love basketball." – Ricard / BGC-TV

Ricardo's Video #1