Suva (Fiji) - Basketball Fiji's (BF) mission to evangelize the game in the country continues with the integration of basketball in the International School Suva's (ISS) sports curriculum through their Bula Hoops program.

BF's Chief Operating Officer Lai Puamau is proud to share the successful partnership with ISS in implementing Bula Hoops to the Primary students of the school.

"Our Bula Hoops Program with ISS is aimed at providing the school with basic basketball lessons mainly catered to the Primary students of the school. We are happy to introduce our sport to the young kids and hopefully, they continue to play it after the program," said Puamau.

"After our successful first term we will have another 10-week program which will start in July," he added.

Bula Hoops Coordinator William Peter also shared that the reception of the Primary Students was inspiring the coaches and volunteers of the program.

"We have had great feedback from everyone involved. Parents have complimented the program saying this is a great program to give the children a chance to learn the sport," he said.

"The teachers of the school have praised the coaches for giving their time to the children. And the children thoroughly enjoy each session always looking forward to it," he added.

The partnership between ISS and BF started when their Hoops For Health volunteer coach Thomas Acosta, whose son studies in the school noticed that they didn't have a basketball program.

"My son is enrolled in ISS and I noticed that they had no basketball program at all to introduce the sport to the kids. As a Filipino, I love basketball and I thought it was a good opportunity for Basketball Fiji promote the sport to the kids," he said.

Bula Hoops as stated by Puamau will start their second term in July and BF plans go to more schools in the future to promote and develop the sport from a grassroots level.

"We plan to keep this program going at ISS and keep the ball rolling with the main program at Yat Sen. We want to build on the number of children enrolled and also help them walk away with a bit of knowledge about the sport," said Peter. "There are also plans for us to contact more schools in the future and implement our Bula Hoops program."

Bula Hoops is part of the Basketball For Good program which is an Australian Aid initiative implemented by Basketball Fiji on behalf of the Australian Government.

FIBA