BEIRUT (Lebanon) - FIBA Regional Office - Asia organized a Sports Performance Specialist (SPS) program in Ramallah, Palestine from 25-26 August.

The Sports Performance Specialist Program (SPS) is the Regional Office's latest initiative that aims to empower local physical trainers in Asia and to promote strength and conditioning in the national teams and local clubs.

"It was one of the best courses that has been done, especially since our country lacks this element which is needed to improve the players and coaches," said Ibrahim Habash, President of the Palestinian Basketball Federation.

The objectives of the SPS program are to instruct coaches, athletes, and stakeholders regarding the strength and conditioning of the Basketball game; spread awareness through education to have better return on investments for basketball clubs and managements; have a pool of local candidates to hire qualified strength and conditioning coaches for planning and implementing programs across national teams and clubs; improve the athletic capabilities of the national teams and Clubs by building young generations with proper biomechanics/human movement; and decrease injury incidence among players.

"Strength and conditioning are the core in all sports and especially in basketball. We need to focus more on it in order to level up our performances. We don’t have that many experienced coaches in this domain, which is why we are hungry for such courses."

"I hope we can continue working on this path to develop our whole system in the Palestinian basketball," said one participant, Taleen Abu Ghazleh.

This is the second SPS program organized by FIBA Regional Office - Asia, with the first ever program being hosted earlier in August in Lebanon. 

The Regional Office, through this program, is aiming to lay the foundation of physical training, through education, to elevate the standard of strength and conditioning coaches in basketball.

FIBA