The unassuming working-class neighborhood of the Carolinas, with the third lowest income in Alicante, is home to a quaint courthouse within several blocks of courtyards and is home to the basketball section. Culture and Sports Association (SCD) CarolinasCelebrating its 74th birthday by returning to compete in the EBA League against some of the best clubs in Spain.
“In the same location for 74 years, they have been offering sports for a hardworking and humble neighborhood like the Carolinas.” indicates Javier RuizSports coordinator and coach of the first team of SCD Carolinas, founded in 1949 and one of the oldest active amateur clubs in Spain.
Strange track is the training ground for more than 100 players every year; Mateo GayaResponsible for the club’s mini-basketball, the club is expected to continue to grow and adapt to the “new realities of the youth in the neighborhood” without losing its “identity”.
A historic first team
For the third year in a row, The Senior team of the club will compete in the EBA League, the third league of the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB).the highest category reached by the Carolinas in the sport’s more than 70-year history.
Ruiz explains that they welcomed this year with “enthusiasm” but above all “more economically calm”, but despite being their third year, they still don’t have the “economic capacity of other teams”.
For the coach, these economic barriers sometimes negatively affect his players: “Many have jobs that prevent them from being the sum of the hours we plan to train.“, points out that although he does not doubt his devotion: “Each of them will be very interested in his own way”.
Ruiz highlights some of the innovations for this season: “We’re going to try not to pay the players and make the trips cost them nothing.” According to him, “even if it is small steps, it is very important for the team”.
working class neighborhood
According to INE and Tax Office data, this neighborhood is the third with the lowest average gross income per household in the city of Alicante.With only 19,000 euros, almost 43,000, it’s a long way from the original location of the Center.
Mateo Gayá, coordinator of the club’s junior basket, explains: The Carolinas “do important social work by providing a safe place for the youngest to play sports, as well as provide value education”He adds that they collaborate on different social projects such as the basketball tournament against racism and the anti-racist basketball tournament.
“Being able to continue playing basketball at this level without losing a category is something that has a lot of merit and value.“Highlighting that the neighborhood is having more and more problems in this area and making things difficult,” says Ruiz.
Keep growing in the Carolinas
Most of the players are neighbors or neighborhood acquaintances, some of them have been wearing their jerseys for many years, for example Santiago Gayaa first-team player who has been in the Carolinas for over a decade and playing with his brothers, or twenty-year-old Javier Ruiz himself.
“I’ve been here since I was 10 years old, I was a player first and now I’m just a coach,” explains the SCD Carolinas’ coordinator. thanks to basketball and the club where he grew up “personally and professionally” and made it as it is.
For Ruiz, This club’s basketball gives players a sense of belonging and identity not seen elsewhere.seeing and understanding the sport in a different way, but neither better nor worse, rather it has its own characteristics and philosophy, which makes them know locally.
Aiming to have more than two teams in at least four different categories, the club has registered. 100 to 120 playershowever, the sports director emphasizes that it is difficult to maintain these figures.
“A large number of lives are lost throughout the year and it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue due to personal, economic or educational problems.“, but still assures that “the goal is to continue to grow and engage players.”