BARBADOS BASKETBALL is set to try its hand at pooling together the sport’s brain trust again.
For the second time in four years, basketball has implemented a coaches’ association to develop the skills of its play-callers with the intention of paying greater interest to junior players.
The body’s reinstatement comes as 14 new names were added to the list of this country’s FIBA Level 1 certified coaches following a just-concluded training course conducted by FIBA expert William Colon at the Barbados Olympic Association.
And of the 14 graduates, ten ply their trade at the Premier and Women’s league levels, which include four senior national players and three members of the Combined Schools’ Hoopsters programme.
Back in 2006, there was a similar re-establishment of a coaches’ body, headed by former men’s national coach Barry Rock.
But the association quickly became defunct within a year following a general poor turnout to meetings and the body’s overall inactivity.
However, it is hoped that this current organisation will survive, having been given the specific mandate of reviewing the current landscape of junior players by the governing Barbados Amateur Basketball Association.
“We’re here to encourage coaches to advance their knowledge of the sport and to acquire more young players to get involved in the sport, especially at the coaching level,” said newly elected president Denise Alleyne.
Alleyne’s fellow national player Shakira Shorey and Roger Christie round out the body’s executive. (JM)
