TORTOLA (BVI) – The British Virgin Islands Basketball Federation (BVIBF) is currently in the process of establishing several support committees among people from the community that are interested in basketball in each district, in order to develop the sport.

According to the Federation, the committee’s purpose is to set forth a development program at a base level, keep the community's interest, and develop the athletes’ skills. Teachers, parents, community leaders and coaches can be part of the committees.

Road Town is one of the first sectors that are a priority to the BVIVF.

“As we prepare for the 2019-2020 basketball season, we will be forming Committees in each district,” said Federation president Derrick Varlack to local media, who was elected on June 2019. “The Committees will provide support to the Federation on a district level by hosting events, clinics, campaigns and forums to generate and maintain the sport within the district.”

“We have always had a very strong Road Town basketball presence, but we have heard concerns from the community concerning the lack of a basketball presence in their community to maintain the interest in the sport.”

The initiative is the first step in Varlack's attempt to create a basketball league in Road Town that gives continuity to the sports projects that once existed in the capital city's community.

“The first focus for the Federation for basketball is to makes sure that the Road Town [Basketball] Association gets formed,” explained Varlack. “It’s not a good thing to say that we have an association that was the grassroots of the BVI, in sport, and in basketball, and you don’t have a league for the last three years. That is my number one focus, to get that association formed.”

BVI also celebrated the inclusion of two of their young players at Cleveland State University. The 6’4” prospect D’moi Hodge, and 6’3” and 22-year-old player Franklyn Penn Jr. will play for the Cleveland State Vikings in the NCAA's second division starting next season.

FIBA