Fil-Am teen basketball trainer Ryan Ang has added the Gatorade Bottle Challenge to his free online training for athletes to help raise funds for COVID-19 relief.
The Ang1 Trainings coach who started free online classes during the lockdown for his students and anyone interested in the sport started the Ryan Ang Gatorade Bottle Challenge in early April 2020 as an offshoot of his free live streaming basketball training conducted on Facebook and Instagram.
The Challenge is intended for students to continue to stay active even when Ang’s basketball sessions are not streaming.
The Gatorade Bottle Challenge gets athletes to dribble the ball while either tossing or passing the Gatorade bottle from one hand to the other and then placing it down on the ground. The athlete’s video of taking the challenge should be submitted to Ryan Ang on Facebook or Ang1 Trainings on Instagram.
Each submitted video is matched by a $5 donation to Healthcare professionals affected by COVID-19. The money comes from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.
Ryan Ang told Good News Pilipinas that the Basketball Challenge started as a coincidence during his live basketball training sessions.
“I chose to use Gatorade as part of this challenge because it was all a coincidence. During the time of the live basketball training session, the Gatorade bottle was right next to me… I had it near me as a common drink for athletes such as myself,” Ryan shares.
“This challenge is meant to have athletes and anyone else continue to stay active even when my session is not streaming. However, there is a deeper meaning and purpose of this challenge.
“This is my way of giving back to my community because Healthcare Professionals worldwide are on the front lines risking their lives fighting against COVID-19,” said the 16-year-old teen trainer from Bergen County, New Jersey.
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Ryan Ang has so far received over 70 video submissions from around the United States, Canada, and the Philippines. Participants in the video challenge are as young as 4 years old to 50-year-old adults.
Videos that Ryan received from the Philippines include that of De La Salle University of Dasmarinas Power Forward Angelika Marie B. Armillo, Gatsby by from Malabon, and Andrei Diaz from Caloocan.
“The one big takeaway from this challenge is the beauty in which athletes put their own twist into the challenge. For example, one submitted attempt included a father and son, another was a man changing outfits, and one even included the whole family!
“Such amazing videos also came with great feedback! Many parents and athletes had contacted me saying that they love the challenge as the challenge was really a challenge and was very much fun to do!
“I have even gotten teams to attempt the Gatorade Bottle Challenge in which they would also match the donation. For each of their players that submits a video, the team would donate an extra $5 on top of the $5 already donated!” Ang excitedly recounts.
Ryan Ang of Ang1 Trainings says that he is encouraged by the overwhelming response from parents, athletes, and others who want to help healthcare professionals fight against COVID-19.
More Filipino athletes have joined efforts to help frontliners and the poor affected by the lockdown due to COVID-19. Among them, University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons basketball star Ricci Rivero and John Vic De Guzman, team captain of the Philippine National Volleyball Team who gave relief goods to people in Isabela.
California-based Philippine National Team gymnast Jessica Tijam has also been giving free online classes to athletes in the Philippines.
Filipino weightlifting champion Hidilyn Diaz also gave free online lessons to help in the relief efforts for the poor affected by the community quarantine lockdown in the Philippines.
SEND VIDEOS or HELP to support Ryan Ang’s initiative to donate to healthcare professionals fighting the COVID-19 pandemic through his Facebook page here then SEND US YOUR #GoodLight #MessageofHope to the world in the comments below.
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