FCM One-on-One presents:
Mr. Kelvin Dela Pena, Former Professional Basketball Player (PBA, PBL), Coach and Founder of Rise Up Hoops Basketball
PART III
FCM: While playing pro, you were injured. How did you overcome that difficult time in your life?
KDP: It was tough. I was one of the top guys. I’d drive around Edsa and see myself on the Billboards. I’d go to a convenience store, and I’d see myself in the magazine on the front cover. I said to myself, I made it.
Then overnight it changed because of my injury. It was tough. And then the people you thought were friends, they don’t talk to you anymore. Because they don’t need anything from you anymore. Your fame is done.
I was in the lowest of low after my injury. There were nights that I felt suicidal. I have a tattoo of my dog because there were nights when I’d stand on the balcony, and my dog would be scratching the doors to the balcony.
It’s crazy looking back now.
Then I found a group of people, and I found God. I found Jesus Christ.
I believe that there’s something out there for me. I don’t know yet. I found Christ and said ok, I have to accept this. This is what he wants me to do.
If he can give me all this fame, money, and life, he can also take it away just like that. And I understood that. Because at some point when I was making a living, I lost myself. I thought it was just me. I got all these things, this professional player status because of me. I stopped talking to Christ. I ceased to going to church, and it was just me.
I was living a very pretentious life.
Then at some point, he was like, “Ok, you need to slow down.” And it got taken away from me.
At that time I didn’t understand it. But now on hindsight, I get it.
FCM: That’s when you switch gears.
KDP: Yes. I wouldn’t say that I go to church every Sunday, but I’m a huge believer that there is a higher power, and that he is always there. That’s when it all changed for me. That’s when I started to accept things that I couldn’t control. I started being more patient. I was more mature.
FCM: You also have your girlfriend with you.
KDP: Yes. We’ve been together close to 10 years now. We have some goals and plans. She’s been very patient with me. When I talk about my parents being there for me all the time, I would be nothing without my girlfriend. I would be zero without her. Her name is Alejandra. She’s still my rock.
FCM: And now you have the basketball company.
KDP: We have the Rise Up Hoops. The reason I started this is that I still have the itch for basketball. I want to be involved in the game.
I get a lot of people asking me to help them with their game. For me to deny help is not in my character. I’m always helping people. I’m always reaching out to people. I guess this is an outlet for people to have an opportunity to get the same platform that I had growing up.
Growing up I had my dad. And I want to be an option for the young generation growing up.
FCM: Where is Rise Up Hoops at now?
KDP: We started RISE several months ago. And it’s doing well. We got some young kids.
I have a lot more plans coming up. We just want to develop basketball players.
From there, I want to reach out to the Filipino community. We have a huge community in Calgary, and in Alberta. We have an opportunity to bring these kids to the Philippines.
When I was in the Philippines, everyone who went there thought I was FilAm (Filipino-American). Canadians were nowhere to be found. When I was about to retire, it was the FilCans from Toronto that were there. No one from Vancouver or the West side.
I feel like my movement is to help our generation here on the West side. Not just in the Filipino community but in all communities. With my experience, I feel I can help a lot of basketball players.
FCM: Are you looking to coach at a college level?
KDP: That’s the goal. I always aspire to be more. I want to be a coach for the NBA. Be an assistant coach or a scout for the NBA. I’m very competitive.
Why not shoot for high goals while you’re still alive.
FCM: Going back to the Rise Up Hoops, do you see it going to other cities?
KDP: Currently, our headquarters is in northeast Calgary. We want to slowly extend our arms all across the city.
From there we want to reach out to small cities like Red Deer or Lethbridge.
Again, there’re so many basketball players out there.
My goal is to put a team together and bring them to the Philippines. So I want to be somewhat of a scout out here or an agent for PBA, PBL, college and university teams.
I have a lot of contacts in the Philippines. Some of my friends I played with are now assistant coaches. It’s a great opportunity for our kids here. They’ll have access to many of contacts in the Philippines through me. I’m right here for anyone who wants to take this seriously.
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