Gil Basketball Academy Celebrates the Women of Basketball Meet Gabby Godinez

Gabriela “Gabby” Godinez, 18, has been playing basketball since she was 10 years old, and would do so after graduating high school this summer if they were more opportunities afforded her.

Salinas, CA, March 04, 2020 - A senior at Alisal High School, she has been playing organized basketball since the eighth grade and currently plays both basketball and tennis at Alisal, as well as after-school basketball at the Gil Basketball Academy run by Jose Gil, who is also Alisal’s athletic director.

Gabby hopes to attend Sacramento State in the fall, but doesn’t expect to play basketball for the college. At 5-foot-71/2 inches, Gabby plays either strong forward or center and has a strong defensive game.

She says playing basketball has taught her discipline, teamwork, communication, leadership, and, now that she’s older, becoming a role model and helping the younger girls.

“I like helping out with kids, help them become better,” she says. “I even asked my coach how I could become an assistant coach.”

She says she cried when Alisal’s regular season ended because she knew that would most likely be one of the last times she would play with her teammates.

“I really liked interacting with my teammates, it’s like a family. We’ve been together for three years.”

In the future, while she may not play as much basketball as she has during her school years, she hopes she may still be involved in the sport as a coach, to teach and encourage younger girl players.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
https://www.gilbasketballacademy.com/

Gil Basketball Academy Celebrates the Women of Basketball Meet Mikaela Arista

In addition to her school work, basketball is everything for 17-year-old Mikaela Arista.

Salinas, CA, March 03, 2020 - It’s everything to me, it’s my passion in my life,” says the Alisal High School junior. “It’s been a huge support system for me and has helped me in all aspects of my life.”

Mikael started playing basketball when she was only 5 years old, encouraged by her basketball-loving parents. She’s been playing with the Gil Basketball Academy since the second grade and made the Alisal varsity team as a freshman.

She says GBA taught her all the fundamentals of the game, but also helped her develop her basketball IQ — the game play, strategy and other aspects beyond passing and dribbling.

Playing basketball also helped her develop life skills, confidence, communication, the importance of discipline and teamwork.

“It really helped me succeed in school and do well socially,” says Mikaela, who won the Alisal team MVP award as both a freshman and sophomore.

She hopes to continue playing basketball after high school and hopes her high level of play her senior year will draw the attention of some college coaches.

“That’s the goal right now, to expose myself to schools and open up opportunities after high school,” she says, adding, to keep honing her skills, “I try to get on court as much as I can.”

At 5-foot-8-inches tall, she plays small forward on her teams and considers herself an offensive force as well as a good defender. She also plays tennis and swims competitively at Alisal.

“I consider myself a versatile player, I do a little bit of everything,” she says. She likes the excitement of being on the basketball court, working as a team and the intensity of the game.

In college she hopes to study biology and other sciences with the goal of becoming a physician’s assistant and perhaps one day, after her playing days are over, to come back to the community as a coach.

“I’ve spent so many years playing basketball, I don’t know where I’d be without it.”

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Salinas, CA 93901
(831) 747-7455
https://www.gilbasketballacademy.com/