Sports has been a unifying force even during times of war. India and Pakistan have used cricket diplomacy as a political tool to come back from the brink. Even the guns became silent during the height of Sri Lanka’s civil war when Muttiah Muralitharan was playing.
Similarly, basketball is a sport that has no skin colour, girl or boy, tall or short, fat or skinny, whether you are Muslim, Catholic, Christian or Buddhist. This is the unique coaching philosophy of renowned American educator Eric Gardow who drives the message of peace and love in a career spanning three decades and still counting.
“I talk about the kids because I am here because of the kids. I am here to share knowledge to anybody that takes it, doesn’t matter who they are. I love you with the game of basketball,” said Gardow is fondly known as Coach E who conducted a three-day BE SriLankan basketball camp for youngsters organized by Keshawa Perera better known as JJ.
“One guy organised that. He did not have a company or organization or government office. One guy did that because he and I share the passion. In cricket, you guys are the best in the world. Be SriLankan. That’s my message,” said Gardow on his second visit to Sri Lanka.
“Last time when I came I told them, I will come if you take me to an orphanage, not in Colombo but outside where nobody goes to visit. So we went to one where most of the kids had disabilities and we gave some shirts, cereals, milk and school supplies. We did that again this year and went to a boys school orphanage (in Kurunegala) and gave them some hope and belief that something good is happening. So we want to give back not just basketball but to the others that are less fortunate,” said Gardow who is the co-founder of BE BASKETBALL, an academy based in Doha, Qatar where Keshawa met him.
How could Sri Lanka benefit from his expertise?“One of the things I tried to do when I first came in 2017 was to bring everybody in basketball together, and it’s not working very well, to be honest. The federation thinks they can do a better job of including everybody that loves basketball,” said Gardow who firmly believes that any strategic plan should be revolved around the kids.
“Every decision must have the kids first and foremost, and if that happens good things will happen. Right now I believe that they don’t do that very well. They are worried about themselves or coaches have too big egos,” he said explaining how he got across to over 600 kids during the 10 sessions he conducted at Henry Pedris Park.“There was this 15-year-old kid who just learnt basketball three weeks ago. She now loves the game and is not afraid to play for her school team anymore. I also had her demonstrating to the other girls. You empower them, inspire them and give them the confidence to believe in something greater. She did the work, now she can go back and help somebody else,” he said.
Asked how the wealth of talent available in the country could be tapped, he had a simple formula.“Coaches that have egos need to step aside. Next thing, you have to teach with love and happiness. I can teach structure and discipline, and still say I love you. Not shouting or screaming, but teaching and have patience. That’s a big part of it. Also, you need to start with the young ones but you know that young ones take more work. But if the young ones learn the right way from the beginning, they will be better,” he explained.“My message to these kids is how they thank me is ‘you go home and take two or three girls and teach them what I have shown you. Two or three new boys, teach them what they know’,” he said relating a humbling experience at a girl's schools.“Two coaches were there but I had to have them just be quiet because I taught the older girls and I had the older girls teach the younger girls. It took me 10 times to teach these older girls to do the drill right one time. I stepped back and told them to teach the younger girls. Each girl had three or four other girls. They did it right the first time. It was amazing,” said Coach E.“Coaches want to talk too much. We think we are really good but we need to have the kids teach. If we can teach the kids and the kids could teach them it would be great because (one) they could remember more and (two) they learn it from a different perspective,” he said.
Asked whether height or the lack of it was a disadvantage to play basketball, he said: “No need of height if you can play as a team. A team is stronger than one tall guy.” “I want you to take learning from each other. Players helping players coaches helping coaches, your team and his team helping each other. That’s when Sri Lanka will reach full potential,” he opined.“You can do it. Look at cricket. You are one of the best in the world in cricket. This is important. I told kids too because they came and they learnt, they are probably smarter than some of the coaches because they learn the right way,” he said. Asked whether it is easy to learn or to coach, he said: “If you have a love for the game, you are positive. I can teach with love and to be positive, and I can also be disciplined with them. It doesn’t mean I shout, yell or scream. I say ‘it’s okay to make mistakes, this is how you learn. Let’s do it better. Here’s what you need to do. You are doing it well, try it this way to get better’,” he said.
“You need to teach if the child doesn’t know. If the child is not learning, it’s not the child’s fault. You have to adjust what you teach,” he explained. “We will be back next year. We are going to do satellite camps in different provinces. In 2017 we had 200 kids. This time we had 600. One guy did that for the love for the game and relationship with me. Sponsors helped because we needed money for equipment, accommodation. I did not take any salary, I don't come here for that, whatever I had given for the orphanages,” said Gardow whose professional coaching experience includes over five years in the NCAA (USA), two years in Japan, and five years in Qatar, including as head coach of the national team.
He could not come to Sri Lanka last year because he underwent three surgeries.
“This year he said he is ready and wants to do something for Sri Lanka basketball. I informed the federation but there was no response. I had to do by myself and with him,” said Keshawa Perera who thanked Nilkamal Weerasuriya for providing the sponsorship to cover the hotel and travel expenses of Coach E, and Bazeer Uvais, general manager of Fairview hotel for providing Coach E accommodation.
“Praneeth and JJ have been with me in BE Basketball learning and growing and in other places. They can do something special here. If they do need help I will help but I am not a Sri Lankan. I will always be a foreigner but my love for the ball and them brought me here to make this grow,” said Gardow who had no qualms about travelling to Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the Easter attacks.
“When I got there it was like hard to believe. I remember Easter Sunday. I’m American but I have a piece of Sri Lanka inside of me. I’m calling and messaging all the people I knew. So to come off from Easter to here to go to that church and come back here, go to that orphanage and get back on the court with these kids, has just been a gift,” he recalled.
“Only thing that worried me was if I was a target and if kids were around me to do something great like basketball, that I did not want the kids hurt. They can take me. I am an Amerian. I know when I travel I am a target. I don’t want kids to come here for me and then have them get hurt. That scares me,” he said.
“Coach E coming to Sri Lanka is very important. After Easter Sunday attacks when there was a travel ban on Sri Lanka (now there is a travel warning), in spite of all that for him to come to Sri Lanka (even the US embassy would have told him this is the situation in the country) but he still took the risk. When Keshava spoke to me, I realised the passion he had. I realised he had no support from anybody here other than a few sponsors. It is a good international experience for Sri Lanka. He is the first basketball coach to come from America. This is the first time an international coaching camp was held in Sri Lanka. If together with the support of the industry, if we can take this to other provinces like Jaffna, South, Kandy, the Central Province, east coast, I’m sure you will be able to unearth some good talent. This is an absolute stepping stone or platform for the future. I have never heard of a top-level basketball coach coming here to train kids,” said Uvais.
“BE Sri Lankan. Sri Lanka is strong now. Don’t be impacted by anything. BE you. BE positive. BE great,” was Coach E’s message.
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