10 April 2013
TANZANIA : Experts Call for Massive Basketball Promotion
THE nation should enhance basketball participation and promote the game at the grassroots level for better results domestically and international, the sport's experts have said.
Speaking at the just ended National Basketball League held in Tanga region, coaches and referees alike suggested that enhanced enrolment in the NBL and vibrant youth programmes would stimulate the development of the sport.
Newly crowned NBL champions ABC's head coach Leonard Kwale said there was a need to create a basketball environment where all regions shall participate. He said the recently concluded event was a great success but underscored that more regions should take part in the NBL to make the tournament more competitive and give it national image.
"The championship was good despite the fact one or two teams could not show up, but for those that turned up they showed good quality, especially the men's teams... they were very good.
"And their teams that are coming up and they are young, especially those from Tanga, there was lot of promise from their performances, they should keep developing them and it is through these teams we're going to get a strong national team," Kwale told the 'Daily News.'
He insisted, whereas the spirit of the tournament should be maintained, increased enrolment and standards of teams from upcountry regions would be crucial in the making of a formidable national team squad.
This year's national basketball championship brought together 15 teams, including ten men and five women teams, representing only three regions of Dar es Salaam (10), Tanga (4) and Dodoma (1).
On his side, veteran basketball coach and referee George Kitundu said youth basketball promotion was the stepping stone to success and called for the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) and the game's stakeholders to promote children and youth basketball at the grassroots level.
He said BFT must ensure the involvement of children and youth in basketball leagues and competitions in their surroundings as well as conduct basketball technical skills clinics and organise more coaching and referees workshops.
Uganda-based coach Henry Mwinuka, who guided Don Bosco Lioness to the Women's NBL title with a 46-36 win over defending champions, Jeshi Stars, noted that Tanzanian basketball players were lacking some essential skills.
He said the main weakness among most local players was their inability to dribble the ball and attributed it to the fact that they start playing the game without learning the proper fundamentals.
Speaking at the just ended National Basketball League held in Tanga region, coaches and referees alike suggested that enhanced enrolment in the NBL and vibrant youth programmes would stimulate the development of the sport.
Newly crowned NBL champions ABC's head coach Leonard Kwale said there was a need to create a basketball environment where all regions shall participate. He said the recently concluded event was a great success but underscored that more regions should take part in the NBL to make the tournament more competitive and give it national image.
"The championship was good despite the fact one or two teams could not show up, but for those that turned up they showed good quality, especially the men's teams... they were very good.
"And their teams that are coming up and they are young, especially those from Tanga, there was lot of promise from their performances, they should keep developing them and it is through these teams we're going to get a strong national team," Kwale told the 'Daily News.'
He insisted, whereas the spirit of the tournament should be maintained, increased enrolment and standards of teams from upcountry regions would be crucial in the making of a formidable national team squad.
This year's national basketball championship brought together 15 teams, including ten men and five women teams, representing only three regions of Dar es Salaam (10), Tanga (4) and Dodoma (1).
On his side, veteran basketball coach and referee George Kitundu said youth basketball promotion was the stepping stone to success and called for the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) and the game's stakeholders to promote children and youth basketball at the grassroots level.
He said BFT must ensure the involvement of children and youth in basketball leagues and competitions in their surroundings as well as conduct basketball technical skills clinics and organise more coaching and referees workshops.
Uganda-based coach Henry Mwinuka, who guided Don Bosco Lioness to the Women's NBL title with a 46-36 win over defending champions, Jeshi Stars, noted that Tanzanian basketball players were lacking some essential skills.
He said the main weakness among most local players was their inability to dribble the ball and attributed it to the fact that they start playing the game without learning the proper fundamentals.
# posted by afrbk : 17:48
