GILAS Pilipinas Women’s standout and MILO ambassadress Ella Fajardo is no stranger to hard work and rejection, and it’s precisely these lessons she brought to the court at the Kingdom Elite Invitational Basketball Camp, held in partnership with MILO Philippines.
Now 22 and already a seasoned athlete, Fajardo shared the struggles she had to overcome to reach the international stage, from being overlooked by coaches to not making it to university lineups, proving that even the brightest stars face darkness before they shine.
“I went through a very low point in my life where I felt that I wasn’t good enough, but through hard work and prayers, I found the strength to keep going and prove myself.” said Fajardo.
Inspired by her sports journey which began at the MILO BEST Center clinics, Fajardo has come full circle by sharing her expertise with almost 100 aspiring female basketball players. The young athletes were taught ball-handling, layup drills, and defensive techniques, while also learning core values such as grit, discipline and teamwork.
“This camp is my way of giving back to the community that shaped me. I wanted to create an event where young girls can learn the game, build their confidence, and experience the same joy I felt when I was starting out,” she said.
Among the campers was 12-year-old Regina from La Salle Antipolo, who said the camp is a motivating experience that pushed her to dream bigger. She said: “Coach Ella is an inspiration to me. Because of this camp, I am inspired to become better and to reach my dreams of becoming a national athlete for the Gilas team.”
Another participant named Clara shared that she learned a lot from Fajardo’s personal journey and that encouraged her to keep working hard. “I was moved by her story, and the lesson I learned from her is to never give up and keep pushing yourself to be better.”
Fajardo, who currently plays for the NCAA Division I team Iona Gaels in the U.S., is representing the Philippines at the 44th Jones Cup Women’s Tournament in Taipei this week. She’ll continue her campaign with the national team at the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, kicking off on July 13 in China.
MILO, a staunch supporter of women in sports, reaffirmed its commitment to making sports programs more inclusive and impactful for female athletes.
“Ella embodies what MILO stands for. As someone who started her journey through the MILO grassroots program, she is a living testament to the impact of sports,” said Carlo Sampan, MILO Head of Sports. “We are happy to support Ella’s first-ever invitational camp and we hope to create more spaces where young girls feel empowered and seen. This is part of our long-standing commitment to making sports more inclusive and accessible, especially for female athletes who aspire to become champions not just in their sport, but in life.”
For more information about MILO and its sports programs, visit www.milo.com.ph.