Fil-Aussie
to play
in PBA
SPORTS
PAGE 28
Volume 4 • Number 1
What’s On?
Events &
places to see
Gabby C.
at 3rd Wow
w
Blacktown
n
WHAT’S ON
PAGE 02
WHAT’S ON
PAGE 02
OCTOBER 2013
www.kalatas.com.au
www.kalatas.com.au
w
FRE
FREE
NEW
NEWS
Back from a city
under siege
unde
“I WAS in shock, I couldn’t believe that I’d
made a National team.”
Finally, here’s a Filo ready
to play in the Australian
national U17 basketball
team. With her ponytails.
By Titus Filio
llWestmead-born Jasmine Forcadilla is
breaking ground for the basketball-loving
Fil-Aussie community when she suits up
with the green-and-gold to play as point
guard for the national Under-17 team.
The official announcement of her selection came last month just around the
time she turned 16.
“I was in shock, I couldn’t believe that
I’d made a National team,” Jasmine tells
AK.
“It took a while for it to sink in. I was so
happy, nervous and excited.”
The 5’7’ standout who professes to
be a Kobe Bryant and Lebron James fan
(between the two she says “Lebron is the
best”) started playing basketball at age 7.
At age 10, she started playing competitive basketball.
She counts her Pinoy father – Ed Forcadilla – as having “played a big part” in
her love for the game.
“My first netball coach, Kate Wellard,
signed us up for basketball in the off
season and I loved it. My first rep coach
was Deb Black and she is one of the best
coaches around, she is inspirational. I have
been very lucky with the calibre of all my
coaches throughout the years.”
Jasmine plays for t he G osford City Rebels and is also a member of
the U18 New South Wales country team.
She’s currently in Year 10 at the
he
Gold Coast Central Adventist Schoool which she says has a “very strong
ng
basketball program”.
Her current game stats showed
ed
averages of 10.8 points per game, 6.1
.1
rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.
me.
She is intent to raise the level of her
er
game and for now averages 10 hoours of training a week. She suits up
for the U17 Oceania games later this
is
year.
Jasmine is interested in archiitecture and textile design but the
e
young cager is open to the idea that
at
she may get into professional basketball in the future.
Maybe even become a full-fledged ‘Opal’ some day.
“Of course I would love to become a professional basketball player, it’s a huge part of
f
my life and I would like to go
o
as far as I can in the sport that I love,”
e,
she says.
“I would like to pursue basketball
all
at university or even college in the US
and hopefully become an Opal one
ne
day, perhaps even compete for Ausstralia at the Olympics.”
At the Gosford City Rebels websiite, coach Drew Fenton heaped praiaises on the teenager and said it was a
s
great achievement by Jasmine to be
included in the Australian squad.
“Rebels are very proud of Jas. She
is a great kid who has worked tirelessly
essly
to put herself in a position to be selected,”
ected,
Mr. Fenton said.
Filipino-Australian nurse
llA F
just bac from Zamboanga City
back
described the tense moments
describ
that gr
gripped the city following
an attack by MNLF rebels.
atta
Page 04
NEW
NEWS
A REALLY CLOSE CALL …
REA
Club prexy’s house
spar
spared from blaze
“Th
ll “Thank God we’re all safe!”
That w the first reaction that
was
came from a relieved Dolly
Bhorbe.
Bhorbe
Page 06
ENT
ENTERTAINMENT
Ala i solo art
in
show
llAla Paredes, known for evocative p
portraiture, will be showcasing her most recent works in
her firs solo exhibition which
first
t
opens this month.
Page 17