New FEPABA President Peralta shares vision for basketball in Panama

PANAMA CITY - Jair Peralta was a leader on the court for Panama's national team, representing his country for two decades in international competition.

Now, he is one month into his new job of leading Panama off the court, as President of the country's basketball federation (FEPABA).

The charismatic leader has made it very clear what he wants for Panama, and how he plans to achieve it.

In an interview with bitacoradeportiva.com, Peralta said: "Our emphasis now is to focus on the youth sections.

"We have an inter-school project [schools playing against each other] at national level with 150 schools, 1,800 basketball players of the under-18 category and this is very important for the future of basketball."

Panama, Peralta says, has a voracious appetite for basketball.

"We have our hands full to do what we like to do, which is basketball, and believe me that we have a big challenge.

"Not just with basketball, but with my family, my friends and the fans - everyone is thirsty to see basketball."

Sponsorship is crucial.

We have the support of the government, and we hope to have the support of the private companies. - Peralta

"There are companies that identify with our project," Peralta said.

"We will sign contracts with a sporting brand to sponsor the national teams, which is very important for the players' motivation.

"Because in all of this, there is the financial aspect."

Peralta says having good sponsors will help the national team program achieve better results.

"I was a player and I know what it's like to play with a brand, because it motivates you much more," he said.

"It's like going to a party.

"One always wants to be well dressed and motivated.

"And that's what we want our players to feel like.

"We want them to achieve their aim and not to be worried.

"We not only want to change the image of FEPABA, but also the thinking of Panama players."

We want them to go away from Panama not only thinking about qualifying, but believing they can win and bring home the gold medal for Panama. - Peralta

Much of the attention is on the national team.

Peralta understands how success for the senior side can affect the mood of a nation because he was in the team that qualified for, and played at the 2006 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Japan.

"We want to begin training mid-May," he said.

"We will train with the players that are already in Panama and as time goes by, we will incorporate other players that are abroad. I feel happy, motivated.

"I want to push us in the right direction."

Something that is going to help Panama become a stronger basketball nation is to have a good and competitive league.

"The likelihood is that the new league will be for 2016," he said.

"We want to call it the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto but because there was a four-month delay in the elections, we have yet to register it.

"But we are already working in order to recover all of the lost time."

Peralta was voted into office as a replacement for Porfirio Ellis, who was president in 2013-2014.

FIBA