GUYS LOOKING to play some hoops always have a lot of options on tap. From casual ‘yayaan ng barkada’ to local barangay ligas, basketball, literally, is just right around the corner.
And this is the kind of culture SwishFit wants to build for women, too, as they conduct "Ladies’ Night," a functional fitness class (with hoops!), exclusively for girls, held once every month.
“Of the over 500 members we have, 30 percent are women, and some are not too comfortable playing with men. So we opened the Ladies’ Night. It is a safe space for girls where they can be with fellow women regardless of fitness level and skills,” SwishFit CEO and founder, Josiah Villegas, said.
SwishFit is the country’s first-of-its-kind fitness program that revolves around basketball.
For a single session, the group is composed of over 20 girls coming from different backgrounds and age brackets.
Like any fitness class, there is a set program from start to finish. In SwishFit, it’s not just your physicality that gets a workout, but also your mentality and decision-making. All throughout, participants are mentored by kind and courteous professional coaches.
“Here, they could learn alongside fellow beginners, and do some drills with more knowledgeable members further in the session,” Villegas continued. “And after Ladies’ Night, they’d be more confident attending classes with men.”
The two-hour class packed with different basketball drills, including the ability to finish, to shoot, and to decide what to do on the court, as well as respond to in-game scenarios.
SwishFit for women by women
Is it effective?
Definitely, says 30-year-old Pat Garvida, a former basketball varsity who played for University of the Philippines Women’s Basketball Team B.
“I just started July 2022. Over the pandemic, I gained 80 pounds, and a few months into SwishFit, I already lost 40 pounds, and at the same I enjoyed the process,” she said.
To be able to carry herself better on the court, Garvida knew she needed to lose weight first. And the program itself helped make that happen.
More than what she achieved physically, she also found a community where she can play regularly with... her own basketball safe space.
“Personally, the Ladies’ Night sends a message, [that] after college, there’s an opportunity for women to play basketball. Usually, ang girls lang na makakapaglaro pa ay yung magpo-pro. [There is] no space for people trying to learn and for people who just want to play,” she bared.
Having played ball since elementary, Garvida revealed she never shared the court with men until she joined SwishFit.
“I never played with guys before, but here, even the guys are supportive of the girls. Kasi sa iba, may pinagtatawanan, may iba masyadong gentleman di ka babantayan. Pero dito, they’re gonna give you the right amount of challenge and respect, giving you room to grow,” she added.
Since joining, Garvida has evolved to being one of SwishFit’s in-house coaches.
An opportunity to relive passion
Like Garvida, the program paved the way for Recy Nogueras, a 26-year-old full-time government employee, to revisit her sport.
“When I joined in July 2022, hesitant ako kasi solo joiner ako, and sumali ako a day before the league. So, for me, it’s a last-minute decision, but it was the best decision kasi nakahanap ako ng like-minded people who encourage and empower women,” she said.
Despite being a part of her high school varsity teamxxxx, Nogueras said she didn’t hold a ball for more than five years in her life after she finished school.
She continued: “After years of no game at all, I was able to get back training three to four times a week here. And it didn’t just help me fitness wise, but also in my discipline and character-building as a person.”
Suitable for starters
But even women with zero experience in basketball can get something from the Ladies' Night SwishFit session.
Take it from me. In one session, I was one of the nine girls who joined with absolutely no background in hoops.
But I walked out of there wanting to learn more.
The next Ladies' Night is happening on January 12, 2022. Visit their website for more information.
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