Diminutive. This is aptly how to literally describe Willy G. Leyba when watching him play against men around one and a half more his size.
Leyba, 28, of Acop, Tublay, Benguet, is a fixture in the line-up of the Sacred Heart team in the Third Season of the Laity Cup played at the San Jose Gym in Poblacion, La Trinidad, Benguet. You see, Leyva is not your usual cager, height-wise, but is one who does not use his size, or the lack of it I should say, as an excuse of not getting on the hardcourt.
If my memory serves me right, he was, in fact, deployed on the hardcourt in six of the nine matches played by Sacred Heart where he played majority of the second half, including the whole of the fourth quarter, in one of those games and canned a buzzer beater shot coming of a well-executed pass from the backcourt in another. He actually scored six points in another game.
Aside from the Laity Cup experience, he previously participated competitive basketball in the 2007 Cordillera Higher Education Schools Athletic Association and the San Jose Inter-Batch Competitions, where he represents the 2004 high school graduates. He recalls pouring in 10 points once as his playing career-high in official competitions although he cannot identify which tournament.
In participating in these competitions, he acknowledges his limitations and his role in order for his team to win. He knows how favor can swing to the opposition once he is inside the court and accepts the reality that he can only be in the court if his team has a big lead or if they are out of it with a big deficit.
He, however, does not use his lack of size to participate in these games and to enjoy them. He is, in fact, proud to be joining the games despite being small. He encourages others with similar handicaps to do the same. “Height should not matter to join the games because we have skills to show.” he said. “People who are small like me should not hide the fact that we have some skills that bigger persons may not possess.” he continued.
Leyva have acquired a diploma in Computer Electronics Technology at STI, Baguio and put it to good use by becoming the proprietor of a computer shop. Aside from basketball, he also casually plays volleyball.
He may not be the reason his team will become a victor most of the times. He is right in one thing though. Joining these games and enjoying it is not just about winning.
Then there are more. Exercise, health benefits, thrill and excitement, camaraderie, becoming a team player, and character building are just some of the good things one can get in participating sports.
I know there are people who treat sports as a lucrative source of livelihood. It doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t enjoy the game while earning millions from it.