Basketball gives more academic and athletic opportunities to Costa Rican players

SAN JOSÉ (Costa Rica) – Costa Rica national team athletes attained athletic scholarships in Mexico to study in universities and play basketball at the same time. These are sisters Daniela Mora Coto (24 years old) and María José Mora Coto (20), as well as Montserrat Martínez Calvo (19), another one of the players that will undergo this enriching experience.

The Costa Rican Basketball Federation (FECOBA) believes in these projects because they will give Costa Rican athletes hours of studies and training and different experiences in another country, to strengthen Costa Rica's basketball and national teams.

Costa Rica’s link to college scholarships in Mexico is longstanding. It was in 1999, after a Centrobasket Tournament, that young Costa Rican players traveled for the first time to Mexico to experience the college life while playing basketball.

Clifford Smith Araya was one of the pioneers in having a career outside Costa Rica when he played and studied in the Mexican University League in Puebla. He was one of the first Costa Rican players to travel overseas to play basketball and study at the same time and won several relevant college tournaments. After his experience in Mexico, Smith was granted other great opportunities to improve his basketball: in the United States, he played in the Southeast Community College in Nebraska (NJCAA) and at Barry University in Miami (NCAA). He was part of the youth and juvenile Costa Rican national teams since 1995 and a part of the senior teams from 1997 to 2013.

“It all began in 1997, when a certain Costa Rican national team went to Mexico to play at a Centrobasket and the Costa Rican basketball team gained importance in Puebla, Mexico. That's when the first interaction between Mexican universities such as Universidad de las Américas (UDLA) and the Autonomous Popular University of the State of Puebla (UPAEP) became interested in having Costa Rican athletes playing and studying in Mexico, such as me and Jackie Acuña. We were considered interesting pieces to hire to play in Mexico," said Clifford Smith Araya to FIBA.basketball.

“I went back to Costa Rica after having played in this Centrobasket at the age of 19 and my parents motivated me to take the scholarship. I wanted to establish myself in another country but with the same language – the language of basketball. It was hard leaving my entire life behind in Costa Rica, but I quickly became a part of UPAEP's Águilas and we had an excellent year by combining the team's veteran talents and us, the rookies. That year we had the pleasure of winning the CONADEIP, one of the most important college tournaments in Mexico, as well as the National Club League, the University Corona League, and the National University League. ‘99 and ‘00 were memorable years for Águilas. We were able to do things that no other team had achieved and for me, as a foreign player, that team was an unforgettable experience," he said.

For the past three years, it was Daniela Mora Coto and María Mora Coto's turn. These sisters started to play basketball at the age of nine and were both in the Costa Rican national team. They also attained scholarships in the Technological University of Monterrey, Toluca Campus. Daniela graduated in 2018 and María continues moving forward in her college career. Montserrat Martínez Calvo, for her part, is giving her first steps in the Technological University of Monterrey, León Campus.

Daniela Mora Coto is a 6’04” center and arrived in Mexico with a sports scholarship through a Costa Rican coach's contact. "It's a very beautiful experience. It's not easy to leave your family, friends, and life for another country, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity where you know you're going to grow, and you do. Not only do you grow as an athlete, but also as a person, as a professional, and you value your home and your family. I don't see this as a sacrifice because if you love something and you want it, it's not (a sacrifice). Basketball is something really important in my life and I don't regret having taken this decision because it helped me to grow a lot as a person. I hope all athletes could have an experience like this,” said Daniela Mora Coto to FIBA.basketball.

Meanwhile, her sister, María Mora Coto, is a 6’07” center who arrived in Mexico in January 2016. “Coming to Toluca was very important. I learned and grew as a person and as a player. I learned how to take care of myself and I realized what it meant to be independent because you're away from your family and you start to cherish a lot of things. As a player, it helped me to believe in myself and use my full potential. The level is very high compared to Costa Rican basketball and I face players that have been a part of the senior national team or that have been more time in the court than I have.” She added, “Basketball becomes a very important part of your life. Sports prepare you, teach you responsibility, leadership and how to control your emotions and being mentally strong.”

Results are important for FECOBA but achieving this type of opportunity is of the utmost importance for the current board of directors. Internationalizing talent and basketball development from a young age, as well as participating in continental and international tournaments are paramount. Day after day they are working on strengthening their youth national teams and their basketball athletes to acquire new experiences both in the sports and academic arenas.

“It's hard to find a scholarship. You must leave a lot of things behind and that requires a lot of effort. I still have a lot to learn, but I'll do it for my growth and to grow Costa Rican basketball. It's beautiful to be able to study what you want and doing so while playing basketball," said to FIBA.basketball Montserrat Martínez Calvo, who measures 5'5" and plays the guard position.

“It was a shock and a surprise to have the chance to come to Mexico. I had to leave my family far away, but this experience has made me grow athletically and personally, and I'm more independent and stronger. I can see that the future is closer and that there are things I need to do by myself. Just having to cook for myself is a lot. It’s a very big change at an athletic level, it's a very different level to my country’s and I've faced very big challenges. This will open many doors for me and will allow me to meet a lot of people in a totally different culture.”

One of FECOBA’s objectives is to once again start seeking opportunities for Costa Rican players. “There was a time when we sent Costa Rican talents to countries like Mexico and the United States, but then this type of opportunities stopped being promoted,” added Clifford, who also said, “Preparation is very important because they leave their homes at a young age and they need to have strong enough foundations and understand that there is an investment in their education so that they have the athletic possibility to grow. It's very important that these types of relations are promoted, as well as creating alliances with different countries and international federations to find spaces for the talents of Costa Rican basketball.”

FIBA