FIBA Americas to launch Youth Development Program with Elite Camp in Campinas, Brazil

MIAMI – The International Basketball Federation in the Americas announced today the launch of the Youth Development Program through the first edition of the FIBA Americas Youth Elite Camp, to be held in Campinas, Brazil from December 13-16, 2018.

The Program, that will be executed through individual camps and development of young talent, is structured into three pillars: growing access of basketball to young athletes, giving more opportunities for young women to develop their game and creating a platform for the elite youth players of the Americas. Its implementation phase will begin with Elite Camps for boys in December 2018 and throughout the year 2019, with 2020 as the initial date for the Elite Camp for girls.

The Youth Elite Camp falls under the umbrella of one of FIBA Americas’ Key Pillars, the Youth Development Program that has the following objectives:

• Seek and Develop the Elite Young Players in the Americas with a view to have these participants elevating the quality of their National Teams by the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and the Paris Olympic Games 2024
• Establish a process for tracking and monitoring young talent in their Evolution and Progression in the Americas Region
• Work hand in hand with Key Stakeholders and National Federations Identifying the Talent

The first ever Youth Development Program Elite Camp will be held in Campinas, Brazil on December 13-16, 2018.

A press conference to launch the Elite Camp in Campinas will be held in Sao Paulo on December 12th.

Participant arrivals will begin on December 13. The first day of the camp will feature Anthropometric Measurements and Physical Evaluations as well as a Welcoming Lecture for all participants.

The Second day of the Camp will begin with a Player Lecture and will continue with Skill Development sections. The day will conclude with team practices and 5-on-5 games.

The Third day of the Youth Development Camp will feature an Officiating Team Lecture for the Players, a Skill Development Clinic focusing on Neuroscience and will end with 5-on-5 games. 

During the last day of the Youth Elite Camp, USA’s Don Showalter will dictate a Training Clinic. Showalter is a 10-time USA Basketball gold medalist head coach while serving as head coach of USA men's U16 and U17 national teams from 2009-2018. Most recently, Showalter led the USA U17 National Team to a 7-0 record and gold medal at the 2018 FIBA Basketball U17 World Cup. (Registration of coaches that want to attend the clinic is limited and should be done through the Brazilian Basketball Conferedation (CBB))

“In order for us to elevate the quality of our national teams in 5 to 7 years we must start now, and this is the program to do that. Our goal is to use the resources of the regional office to help in the identification of young talent and then to enable these players to maximize their potential always with the mindset of going back to represent their countries at the biggest of stages. We are committed to helping the national federations grow and giving opportunities for these young athletes to develop is a priority in our strategy. The future is now.”, said the FIBA Americas Executive Director, Carlos Alves.

"Our mission is clear in prioritizing the development of basketball in all our national member federations and this is the beginning of a project that will have a significant impact on the identification of talent at the continental level and with a view to that growth that we all have as a goal. The Youth Development Program has been developed with every basketball stakeholder in the Americas in mind and we are confident that it will serve as a great support to the work done today by our national federations in their community", said FIBA Americas President Usie Richards. 

Campinas will be the first of several camps to be held in the Americas. Future FIBA Youth Elite Camps are scheduled for South America, Central America and the Caribbean, culminating in a FIBA Americas Regional Camp and World Camp later next year.

FIBA Americas Elite Squad will be selected from the FIBA Youth Elite Camps and will receive rewards during Key Dates of the Global Basketball Calendar.

The Elite squad of the Americas will also receive opportunities of growth and development in key National Federations programs.

FIBA