TRUJILLO ALTO (Puerto Rico) – Jose Juan Barea is now back in his home country Puerto Rico after having finished his season in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks. The point guard, through his Foundation, inaugurated last Thursday a restored basketball court in the Rafael Cordero Elementary School in Trujillo Alto.
 
This was the third basketball court Barea has restored in Puerto Rican schools as part of a project that has become a priority for him and the administration of the JJ Barea Foundation. Two more restored basketball schools will be inaugurated next week.

"This project is emblematic of the work we want to do in the Foundation because it gives children the opportunity to enjoy our sport, and becoming good athletes which I believe will help them in the road to become productive human beings in our society. All the students in Puerto Rican schools deserve sports facilities in good condition and we will work tirelessly to make this a reality.", said Barea.

"It is a great pleasure for me to be here at the Rafael Cordero with many more contributors who have come along in this project because they understand our mission to enable positive activity in communities in the island through the restoration of these courts. This is only the beginning.”, added the point guard.

The President of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Horacio Muratore, and the Secretary General Emeritus of the institution in the Americas Jenaro "Tuto" Marchand were present at the inauguration.

 
"Jose Juan is one of the most experienced and popular international players and it brings me great emotion to see his passion for helping the youth of Puerto Rico. For FIBA, the strengthening and growth of the global community of basketball is a priority and a goal, so it is essential for us to support this type of purely positive efforts within our sport.", said Muratore.

The restoration of the basketball court in the Rafael Cordero Elementary School was carried out in phases and began in December with the collaboration of the Municipality of Trujillo Alto and the Department of Education with the Office of the Improvement of Public Schools (OMEP) who was responsible for installing the anti-bird system and soil correction.

In the second phase several broken pipes were replaced and the court was fully painted. A delivery of sports equipment was also made to the physical education teacher of the school.
 
The Rafael Cordero Elementary School has about 200 students. After the inauguration, Jose Juan Barea gave a clinic to the students of the school.


FIBA