The sports programs of the municipal government of Binangonan, Rizal continue to help the members of the youth sector in the lakeshore municipality.
From keeping the kids off drugs, vices, and crimes, the sports programs initiated in the administration of Mayor Cesar Ynares have also helped the youth in developing their inter-personal skills making them ready to face life’s challenges, according to former municipal administrator Russel Guiller Callanta Ynares.
Since the first term of Mayor Ynares as the town’s chief executive in 1998, the municipal government has been promoting sports in the town’s 40 villages, which resulted in producing talents in the field of sports among the youth.
Among the sports programs are the inter-Barangay Basketball League, Inter-Barangay Volleyball Tournament, Inter-Barangay Table Tennis Tournament, Inter-Barangay Billiards Tournament, Inter-Barangay Darts Tournament, Inter-Barangay Chess Tournament, Inter-Barangay Badminton Tournament, Inter-Barangay Softball Tournament, and Bowling Tournament, among others.
The young Ynares, who is the son of the incumbent and outgoing Mayor Cesar, said aside from multipurpose covered courts in the villages, the town government-managed Binangonan Recreation and Conference Center, located in Barangay Batingan on Manila East Road, boasts of four major attractions: the gymnasium/ convention center, bowling center, tennis court, pool areas and conference center.
The huge gymnasium houses the lawn tennis court, badminton court and basketball court complete with VIP/ meeting area, food kiosks, coffee shop, clean shower room, hotel-like comfort rooms and concierge services, providing access to residents and non-residents as well.
The Binangonan Recreation and Conference Center (BRCC) is one of the venues for developing the skills of the younger generation in Binangonan ( photo from BRCC Facebook page)
In the field of basketball, the continuing programs for young players have resulted in the birth of the Batang Binangonan Lakehounds, a basketball team managed by Russel Guiller and Red Cow Steakhouse owner Bobbi Orayani.
The basketball team is the current 2024-2025 Nina Ynares Governor’s Cup Inter-Town champion besting other towns in the province in the annual hoop game.
The Batang Binangonan Lakehounds (photo from Binangonan Action Center and Volunteer Group’s FB page)
The winning records of the Binangonan’s basketball team are: 2022 Batang Pilipino Basketball League Rizal Season 1 – Champion; 2023 Batang Pilipino Basketball League Rizal Season 2 – Champion; 2024 National Basketball Training Center League - 1st Runner up and the 2024-25 Nina Ynares Governor’s Cup Inter-Town under the 18 and below category.
The Batang Binangonan Lakehounds (photo from Binangonan Action Center and Volunteer Group’s FB page)
Ynares said since 2022, the team has been under the University of Sto. Tomas Sports Science Interns, giving the young athletes free science-based basketball skills that will prepare them for future opportunities and play on higher levels of competition.