Basketball empowering coaches

By Anina Kazaz 14 July 2018, 12:00AM

A workshop to promote basketball and living a healthy and fun lifestyle is underway at the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.) gymnasium.

The Hoops for Health (H.4.H.) initiative is a partnership between the Samoan Basketball Federation, International Basket Federation Australia (F.I.B.A.) and the Ministry of Health and Education.

The two-day event, which will end this afternoon, comprises a teaching program with overseas coaches to educate local trainers and sport teachers and the promotion of basketball as a sport to live a healthier lifestyle in a fun way.

The 10-week program was also held in 10 different primary schools to raise the awareness on the importance of having right nutrition, sports and a healthy lifestyle. The program ends with the final tournament.

Workshop participants include nine primary schools including Leifiifi and Vaivase. The basketball tournament was well attended by the family and friends of the students with each school fielding eight teams made up of boys and girls. The four boys and four girls are in Year 7-8 and are contesting the 3x3 basketball category.

According to Sarah-Lee L. Malaesilia, manager of the Samoan Basket Federation, team coaches will be the biggest beneficiaries of the workshop.  

Some coaches have represented the Samoa national team in Vanuatu at the 2017 Pacific Mini-Games, where they won gold.

“This is the first time we have something like this tournament with the workshop on a primary level with basketball, which isn’t that known in Samoa additional to health care awareness,” she added.

By Anina Kazaz 14 July 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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