Mini Basketball Convention Oceania strengthening the basketball community

ECHUCA – The Oceania Mini Basketball Jamboree and Convention was held over the weekend in Echuca, Australia, gathering over 240 youths and 60 international delegates.

The Mini Basketball Oceania event is the second Mini Basketball event supported by the International Basketball Foundation (IBF) after the Mini Basketball Europe event in June, similar events are set to take place in Mexico, Sri Lanka and Morocco over the next 6 months.

Over 240 boys and girls took part in the Jamboree, each receiving a basketball donated by Molten. The children played in a safe and positive environment and demonstrated fair-play throughout the week-end.

The young participants demonstrated 3x3 basketball games on Saturday organized by Basketball Victoria and facilitated by FIBA Oceania development manager Annie LaFleur, showing off the attractiveness of the new Olympic discipline and hoping to incite players and coaches to embrace this variation of the game.

Throughout the event, the kids were encouraged to make healthy choices concerning food, drinks and general well-being and shown the importance of taking care of their bodies, a great example by Basketball Victoria of using the IBF's Basketball For Good vision.

The 60 participants representing the 11 National Federations present for the Convention observed an on court coaches clinic led by Dr. Sergio Lara-Bercial and David Munns which emphasized drills to empower kids to think for themselves and to create a fun environment.

Participating delegates also took part in interactive conversations and presentations which gave concrete examples and ideas to take back to their respective regions and countries. They were encouraged to stay in contact with the new relationships made over the week-end as they all face similar issues at different levels and can help each other find solutions with FIBA's support.

The presenters spoke about creating a fun environment for kids to play basketball and instructed on how to use available FIBA resources. They presented what is currently being done nationally in Australia (like Aussie Hoops) and on a global scale using Germany as an example.

The participants were also instructed on best practices to transition kids from programs into clubs.

14 year-old Chloe Wheaton who was present to cheer on her sibling is a success story from one of these initiatives as she attended the Victoria Basketball jamboree 2 years ago “I loved it, I had so much fun and enjoyed the games. I’ve been playing ever since”.

Several international delegates expressed strong interest in organizing an event similar to the jamboree in the near future back in their country to grow the Mini Basketball movement and to inspire children.

Patrick Hunt, President of World Association of Basketball Coaches and presenter at the Convention expressed his enthusiasm of the events of the weekend:

“We had a great couple of days here in Echuca Australia, a great gathering of coaches from their respective regions, present to experience some of the great speakers and guests here” he stated.

“This will have a great impact on the development of the game. The exchange of ideas between coaches has been dramatic over the last 2 days. Everybody has spoken gladly of the opportunity and we’re grateful to FIBA and IBF for providing this fantastic opportunity”, he concluded.