The ‘Quijo 3X3’ project, which combines sports and education, returns for the second consecutive year to educational centers in Castilla-La Mancha, especially in rural areas, with the aim of promoting basketball practice. In this edition, and as a novelty, the program will expand to 16 secondary schools in the region.
This was highlighted in a press conference by the president of the Castilla-La Mancha Basketball Federation, José Esteban Gálvez Moraleda; the Minister of Education, Culture, and Sports, Amador Pastor; the president of the Spanish Basketball Federation, Elisa Aguilar López; and the Executive Director of the University Extension Area at UCLM, Fermín Cañizares López.
A total of 80 educational centers in the region—16 of which are secondary schools—will be part of this second edition. A program that was initiated last year and is promoted by the Regional Basketball Federation in collaboration with UCLM, the National Basketball Federation, and the Regional Government.
‘Quijo 3×3’ is a basketball promotion program in schools with three fundamental objectives, which are to bring basketball to all schools through an innovative model of sports education, provide educational material to all educational centers, and offer digital resources through its website to make the program as comprehensive as possible.
The second objective is to bring basketball to all populations in Castilla-La Mancha, regardless of their population size, through the growing trend of 3×3 basketball. This will reach locations like El Robledo, with 393 inhabitants; Cañamares (Cuenca), with 454; Alcoba (Ciudad Real), with 567; Cinco Casas, with 598 inhabitants; and Bogarra, with 748.
The third and final objective is to contribute to the comprehensive education of students by working within the program with parallel and meaningful content, such as bullying prevention, equality, and sustainability, as reported by the president of the Castilla-La Mancha Basketball Federation.
NOVEDADES
This second edition of ‘Quijo 3×3’ brings two important innovations, incorporating 16 secondary education centers. The evaluation component through the classroom, in partnership with UCLM, has also been integrated. This will allow a working group to analyze the project and provide information and reports to ensure its effectiveness.
Educational centers are already receiving the material, and the final event is scheduled for May.
The president of the Spanish Basketball Federation, Elisa Aguilar López, emphasized the importance of being present to give visibility and support to a project as beautiful and essential as ‘Quijo 3×3’. She highlighted the positive messages for young people, promoting sports, avoiding sedentary lifestyles, and advocating for values like equality, inclusion, and anti-bullying.
She expressed hope that this idea will be replicated throughout Spain because «we need many projects like this.»
Fermín Cañizares López, the Executive Director of the University Extension Area at UCLM, detailed the university’s contribution to the project in terms of education and knowledge areas. He highlighted the organization of didactic units, methodology, technical support, and training for teachers to implement these attractive programs in their centers.
He wished for the success of the program, noting the current popularity and extensive reach of 3×3 basketball. He recognized the project as an attractive blend of sports and education.
To conclude the event, the Minister of Education, Culture, and Sports underscored the benefits of sports practice for physical fitness and values transmission. He emphasized the pedagogical model that will strengthen daily actions in educational centers through sports practice.
«This care will allow students to experience sports practice from different roles, such as player, referee, or coach,» the minister stated.
He also highlighted the importance of ‘Quijo 3×3’ in rural areas and its promotion of coexistence models and the values inherent in sports.
Pastor emphasized that it is a «great success» for this program, in its second edition, to reach secondary education centers, where there is a «high risk of abandoning regular sports practice that was well-established during primary education years.»