Following the closure of the boys’ FIBA Africa Youth Camp in Bamako on Friday, Kigali hosts an all-girls camp comprising 38 kids from 21 different countries in a three-day Basketball camp.
Kigali, September 26 – A three-day Africa showpiece for developmental and training purposes, organized by FIBA Africa in partnership with NBA, gets underway at BK Arena in the presence of Jean Michel Ramaroson, The President of FIBA Africa Development Council, Franck Traore, NBA Africa Head Basketball operations, and Pascale Mugwaneza, the vice president of FERWABA
Dr Check Sarr, Rwanda’s national team head coach, leads a team of instructors that includes NBA Africa Ambassador Christelle Ngarsanet, a former Ivorian national team player who was instrumental in the development of Rwanda national team players Hope Butera and Joyeuse Ineza Sifa.
In her remarks to welcome the campers in Rwanda, Pascale Mugwaneza, Vice President of Rwanda Basketball Federation, complimented the girls for making it to Kigali as proof of their best efforts. She later expressed the federation’s gratitude and appreciation to FIBA for all of the opportunities they continue to grant Rwanda in hosting various Basketball events.
She said; “We do not take for granted the opportunities that FIBA provides for our country to host several Basketball events, and we appreciate them. It helps the growth of our federation as well as the Rwandan basketball community.”
“I’d also want to thank NBA Africa for collaborating through different programs, especially for uplifting women and girls in Basketball. We still have a long way to go, but we feel that with these initiatives, we can go far” said FERWABA Vice President and FIBA newly elected FIBA Central board member
Speaking with Franck Traore, the NBA Africa head of Basketball operations, he highlighted the relevance of this camp to young aspiring basketball players as well as the value of grassroots programs in African basketball growth.
He said; “We decided to develop programs and create a platform for young ladies from across the continent to be able to showcase the talent and at the same time work closely with some of the top coaches we have on the continent so that they can really improve the skill set and become better basketball players.”
He continued, “We as Africans need to continue to develop and create competition. Because for you to gain experience, you need to play in high-level competition. And that’s what the other part of the world has.”
“They do have competition, and they do have grassroots programming, so they have an entire ecosystem That enables the youth in their respective continents to be able to compete at the highest level. And in Africa, I think we’re very, very close.” Declared NBA Africa’s head of operations.
The top-notch program for discovering and nurturing the most gifted young African basketball players also includes 14 female coaches from throughout the continent.
Indeed, Mr Franck claims that the camps have been a success from their inception, and that the improvement is evident
“For these three years, we continued to work together with our partners to be able to put together this camp, and every year you know the the skill level has improved tremendously.”
“We use these camps for talent identification, for FIBA side and even from the NBA side and then we also use them to bring young coaches from all over the continent, to be trained by the instructors that we have so that when they go back in their countries, they can continue to work with the youth there.” Said Mr. Franck Traore
As mentioned by Jean Michel Ramaroson, a member of the FIBA Africa executive committee in charge of development, holding camps is one of the strategies used to develop talents in a relatively short period of time.
“This camp is all about developing talent and sharing experiences with coaches from a variety of countries on this continent as well as FIBA and NBA experts.”
“In Africa, we need more skilled players. With camps one of the tools to develop talents in a very short time, we are certain that the children will receive an adequate package.”
According to FIBA, these seminars are also intended to empower young aspiring Basketballers with skills to ignite change via basketball, as well as opportunities for self-development and building leadership and a sense of belonging
Twelve of the 38 participants are from Rwanda, and six of the 14 coaches here learning from instructors are Rwandans as well, including current National team captain Charlotte Umugwaneza.
The bulk of these young females competed in this year’s FIBA Africa U-16 Championship, and both the NBA and FIBA anticipate them to thrive in next year’s U-18 continental championship as a result of this endeavour.
These Youth camps have reached 43 countries since the inaugural event in 2021. The first two camps drew a total of 90 young girls.
NBA and FIBA Africa have been collaborating in different grassroots programs, and their joint efforts resulted in the African continent’s first professional basketball competition.
