The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Basketball Federation recently announced it will host another edition of its annual International Coaches Clinic with a myriad of high profile coaches imported for a weekend of tutelage in various aspects of the game.

This year’s edition of the event will be hosted in conjunction with the Atlantis Resort August 1-4.

Due to high demand, the BBF has added individual tickets, priced at $300, which includes access to each day of the training sessions and all VIP networking areas.

The Paradise Island resort has in recent years taken a vested interest in basketball and now annually hosts the “Battle 4 Atlantis” and was integral in the Bahamas becoming just the third country to receive exempt status from the NCAA.

According to federation executives, the objective of the clinic – which will again feature top college coaches from the US and the Bahamas – is to increase the pool of qualified coaches in the country in the various leagues and youth development programmes, paving the way for their long-term involvement in the sport.

When elected, BBF president Charles Robins said with the progression of the game, the increased knowledge of its coaches is not an option, but is mandated by the federation.

“As a federation, whether it is this administration or the next, we are faced with a mandate to educate our coaches,” he said. “We must also ensure that our young athletes are in the best possible position to succeed by receiving the best possible coaching they can have.”

Coaches, sponsors and personnel will be able to enjoy three days of coaching and vacation during the ICC, which has become one of the largest training camps worldwide.

Both local and international coaches and personnel attend this annual event which has as its mission to “teach, develop and expose professional coaches, and personnel, on and off the court, to different techniques and fundamental skills that are important to team success.”

Emphasis is placed on fundamental development, career development, community involvement, peer networking and professional sports education.

Panel speakers will include NBA Hall of Famer and assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings, Alex English, Nike Elite coach Vivian Stringer, former coach of the NBA All-Stars, Nike high school coach Mike Daniel, and retired head coach from the University of South Alabama, Ronnie Arrow.

Arrow will be making his second visit to the clinic.

“We will be teaching a lot of defensive and offensive principles while working on individual skills,” said English.