PROVIDENCIALES (Turks and Caicos) – The Turks and Caicos Islands Government Department of Sports and the Turks and Caicos Islands Basketball Federation (TCIBF) offered this past weekend two sessions of the level one FIBA coaching course for 31 local coaches at the Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex in the island of Providenciales.

The course includes practical and theoretical subjects and participants are evaluated in both areas. Participants that successfully complete the course will be officially added to the FIBA worldwide database as level 1 certified basketball coaches.

The training was overseen by Nelson Isley, one of the most respected FIBA instructors, who also played collegiate basketball with North Carolina State and was picked in the 1971 NBA Draft before playing professionally in Portugal, Sweden, Spain, Italy and Luxembourg. He has traveled to more than 130 countries around the world to certify coaches and is considered a basketball missionary.

A renowned FIBA instructor, Mr. Isley stated in the inaugural ceremony that the Turks and Caicos Islands are very fortunate to have FIBA provide them an instructor for the workshop when there have been very few countries that have been able to host the course locally.

Isley congratulated the Turks and Caicos Government for hosting the workshop, as well as the Federation for its coordination and for aggressively influencing FIBA to place Turks and Caicos in their training courses agenda. The Grace Bay Resort Foundation was also commended for their continuous support in the development of the youth through sports.

A second session of workshops and certifications was hosted by the Federation on October 14 for the people of the island of Grand Turk.

The Turks and Caicos Government also announced the establishment of a High School Basketball Tournament starting on Tuesday, October 22. Twelve teams divided in three districts will fight on a regular phase that will last until the month of November when the playoffs will begin before the Final toward the end of the month. The TCIBF has also scheduled a 3x3 tournament supported by FIBA in November, featuring a $1,000-prize for the champion team.

FIBA