TYREE BASTIDAS -

When I was nine years old, my father took me and my brother Jurell to the park to play big ball handball during the summer. Since I was so small and too young to play with other people, I spent most of my time playing by myself or watching other people play.

Ever since then, I always looked forward for summer to come so that I could play handball until dawn.
In 2004 when my brother Jurell won the High School NY single championship, I told my father I wanted to play in tournaments too, but he told me I could not play small ball since all I knew how to play at the time was big blue. My brother Jurell told me there was a tournament in Queens organized by a coach named Mike Watson. My father drove me to the park and I played my first handball tournament, which I won. Mike Watson told me I could be a good player if I kept on practicing. So I showed up to his tournaments to keep getting better and at the same time he introduced me to 4 wall.

In 2004 I traveled a lot to compete in one, three and four wall tournaments. In 2006 I was looking forward to play and compete in the Worlds handball championship in Canada. So I decided to join Paul Williams’ Team for more training and a better chance at the Nationals. I figure if Paul Williams could make a champion out of my brother Jurell, he could make a champion out me too. By the end of 2006 I had accumulated nine National Titles, Juniors, adult, one, three and four wall, and I plan to keep getting more National Titles to establish a Junior record .

In 2007 Tyree has since won the 2007 High School Spring Meet 19 & under Boys Singles and 17 & under Boys Singles Championships.