COSTA RICA - The Costa Rican Basketball Federation (FECOBA) are betting on a new life for basketball in the Central American country. With more than two thousand games, almost 400 teams, and nearly five thousand people practicing the game throughout the nation, the Costa Rican Basketball Federation concludes their 2018 cycle with hopes of an even more productive 2019.

The National Championship of Liga Menor, the most important tournament on a national level, ended with a record participation of 191 active teams, causing an even greater growth and development in rural areas where basketball projects had not yet been set in motion. Also, for each of the events on December 1 and 2 there were live television broadcasts from the Gimnasio Nacional Eddy Cortés at Parque Metropolitano La Sabano, at the Costa Rican capital of San José.

The Women's first division also came to a close in a tournament that brought together Coronado (current national champions), HABA-Santo Domingo, Universidad de Costa Rica, Washington-San Ramón and Goicoechea. The opening tournament and the closing tournament were won by Coronado, which is why there was no need for a national final. Like this, the “Lecheras” obtained their eighth title.

As for training courses, FECOBA has organized its program around two fundamental focuses: referees and coaches. Its aim is to provide several courses during the year in different areas of the country, such as Limón, San Carlos, Liberia, Heredia, Santa Ana, San José, San Ramón, and others.

The Schools of Initiation in Sports have been another one of the Federation’s projects, complying with their responsibility as sports and new talents developers, and have been operational since 2017. They are currently established in San Carlos, Upala, Limón, Heredia, San José, and other areas.

The President of FECOBA, Álvaro Calvo, talked about Costa Rica’s present: “A great deal of work has been done, with effort and sacrifices; we have resolved issues of the past and have tried to set forth a great shift to basketball's image in Costa Rica”.

Like this, the “Ticos” are concluding a year full of hopes and expectations for what awaits them in 2019, including an agenda full of 3x3 basketball events, permanent national teams, an international calendar, local leagues, and all the efforts of a Federation that has worked under the motto: “We Are More Together”.

FIBA