Just another day in the office.
Some pro athletes scoff at the admiration that people have towards their jobs. Sure, playing a game for pretty good wages sounds like the dream—but it comes with immense hard work.
Lost behind the scenes are the intensive trainings, meticulous nutrition plans, and other lifestyle choices that professional players must make in order to be at their very best.
Gilas Pilipinas Women guard Ella Fajardo and her younger sister Ava, who are not yet even at the pro level, have been hard at work to improve their games. That's the dedication.
In a Facebook video uploaded by skills coach Paolo Gorospe on Saturday, the two sisters practiced their pick-and-roll tactics.
20-year-old Ella and 15-year-old Ava took turns in the drills on keeping the defender at one’s hip before stopping and popping for the jumper. The Fajardo sisters also worked on splitting the screen and breaking down the interior defense after the drive.
The flair of both girls when handling the ball are quite a sight to see.
The older Fajardo recently represented Gilas Women in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Australia, where they scored a breakthrough win against Chinese Taipei—the squad's first since being promoted back to Division A in 2015.
After that, the national squad pushed regional powerhouse New Zealand to the limit, before succumbing to a proud loss.
Ava, who once suited up for the Gilas under-16 team at the FIBA Women’s Asian Championship in 2021, is looking like an exciting addition to the seniors’ team in the near future.
And the legacy doesn’t stop there, as Ella and Ava also have a younger sister in Andrea, who has been busy developing her hoop skills for years now.
Future is indeed bright.