Basmal, G.Y Imports & Exports partner in training basketball coaches
In a drive to bring back the glory days of basketball in Malawi, Basketball Association of Malawi (Basmal) in collaboration with G.Y Imports & Exports is running a weeklong basketball clinic for local coaches in Lilongwe.
The course, which is taking place at Silver Basketball Court in Lilongwe started last Saturday and is expected to conclude this coming Friday.
International Basketball Association of Malawi (Fiba) Instructor Ronald Onyango Owino is conducting the course, which has attracted about 30 young coaches from Basmal’s three zones of Southern Zone Basketball League, Central Zone Basketball League and Northern Zone Basketball League.
In an interview with Nyasa Times on the side lines of the training, Onyango said the training is centred on Young Coaches’ Module One, which he said covers coaching techniques and game tactics.
“This Module focuses on the technique aspect of the game and a little bit of tactics. It covers areas like fundamentals of the game, shooting, passing, bouncing, dribbling and how to receive the ball. We are also going to look at rights for young basketball players, planning basketball activities, organising training sessions, coaching strategies, mini basketball, defensive and offensive play- amongst other topics,” said Onyango.
The Fiba expert disclosed that after the sessions, the participants would sit for theory and oral examinations. He said successful candidates from the Young Coaches Module One would qualify for a Module Two course, expected to be administered after a year.
The candidates have to score a minimum grade of 50 percent in both theory and oral examinations as well as the practical sessions to qualify for Module Two.
Though targeting young coaches, The Kenyan based Fiba expert said 80-90 percent of the course content also applies to senior coaches and players.
Basmal technical director Obed Nyirongo said the course has come at the right time when Basmal is in the process of revamping the game after the loss of its glory.
“Everybody will agree with me that the standards of basketball had gone down due to a number of factors including inactivity, which resulted from loss of sponsors. We are now in the process of revamping the game right from the grassroots and very shortly we are going to have a national basketball team.
The Basmal technical director stated that any team without a qualified Fiba trainer will be barred from participating in Basmal organised activities from next season.
Before the clinic, the FIBA Instructor took time to drill coaches and players for Lilongwe based Bravehearts Men and Ladies’ sides ahead of the teams’ trip Harare, Zimbabwe, where they have been participating in the Vixens Annual Invitational Basketball tournament.
The teams left last Friday after acquiring new skills from the international expert and are expected back home tonight.
The expert also trained coaches and players from Bravehearts Juniors, a feeder club for the G.Y Imports and Exports sponsored team.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :