Assist André to shoot for Manila! ⭐️

André is a 14-year-old power forward in the British Basketball League. Now in his third season, he plays for the U14's Conference and U16's Regionals for Doncaster Eagles. André's Filipino roots have paved the way for possibilities we never thought possible.

André has just been selected to play in the Fil-Euro Nation Select. The select is a global showcase held in Manila, Philippines.

Over the course of 10 days, he will train and play a tournament with other young Filipino athletes with the ultimate goal of representing his country around the world!

Getting to the world stage is a long road, it's apparent that André's talent and work ethic are tracking to make his dreams and goals a reality.

However, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has a fast-turn around, with the event being held in March. Did we mention it's self-funded? Flights, hotels, coaches are all expensive - which is why we're reaching out to our community for help. We wished personal resources could take him all the way, but there simply isn't enough money available. Which is why we need your help.

Please read on to get to know André to understand his personality, his journey so-far and consider supporting him as he reaches for the highest levels of sport

André found his passion for the game after struggling with severe asthma following the 2020 lockdowns. Basketball started as "one of those things" to try to encourage him to work on his fitness. He trained hard in his first year, taking part in a full season of local CVL, finding his stride bit by bit. In the following season, he played for the Rotherham Hawks' U14's Conference team, a tough season, André learned the rules, figured out his playing style, experiencing big wins and hard losses, learning how to be a team player on and off the court.

In his third season, André is now a key player for the Doncaster Eagles, playing for both the U14 Conference and U16 Regionals teams. Training is endless with upto 5 days on court every week, his evenings each night after school is spent training both on and off court. André dedicates his weekends to playing in both U14 Conference, U16 Regional team, and supporting the rest of the Eagles family.

For those that don’t know André, André stands at 5ft10 and has always towered over his friends, he used to slouch to make himself smaller, and when he found basketball - it's like he found his place and his people. He stands straight and tall, he no-longer feels out of place. He is quiet and introverted, but his determination speaks volumes. He listens to his coaches, and applies new knowledge quickly. He’s the kind-of-kid who keeps his head down, studies hard, stays humble, and always looks out for others — whether it’s supporting his teammates by sharing everything he’s learned, or befriending the new kid sat on his own at school. There is no one more deserving of this opportunity.

The Fil-Euro Nation Select programme is a relatively new grassroots programme, who have gained exposure for young athletes who have earned scholarships whether they're college-bound or professionally-bound. He will be not only gain exposure, but he will have access to professional dieticians and skills-coaches to help him be a better basketball player.

✨ Please help us get André closer to his dreams! Every donation, big or small - even a share of this page, will bring him one step closer to Manila and the chance to shine. ✨

#LetsGetAndretoManila #ManilaBound #HelpAndreShine #ReachForTheStars