NBA/Reliance Foundation complete Train the Trainers workshop in Kochi

The NBA and the Reliance Foundation successful concluded the two-day 'Train the Trainers' workshop in Kochi (Kerala), as part of their expanded Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA programme. The workshop featured 200 physical education instructors representing 165 schools from across the state to implement a turnkey NBA curriculum In Kerala.

Apart from Kochi, similar programmes are also slated to be held in Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, Ludhiana, and Jalandhar.

The clinic was led by the Portuguese Carlos Barroca, the new Senior Director of Basketball Operations for NBA India, who has recently replaced the predecessor Troy Justice in India. Barroca was joined in Kochi with Canadian basketball coach Jaison Frolkna.

The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA programme enters it's second year in India with expansion into eight cities. In Kerala, The first year of the programme has operated in 100 schools where 80,000 kids have participated in the districts of Ernakulam, Kottayam, Alapuzha, Thrissur, and Pathanamthitta. This year, the programme has added 75 more schools from the state.

All the trainers at the camp received ‘Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA Basketball in a Bag,’ which contained resources for them to grow the game in their communities as well as their schools. The bag included an 100 page India-specific coaching guide with curriculum for in-school and after-school programmes, nets, whistles, cones, air pumps and a Jr. NBA poster. 15 basketballs were given to each school in the region and five basketballs to the affiliates to run their programmes, too.

The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA programme will promote health, fitness and an active lifestyle through basketball, and teach the values of the game such as teamwork, sacrifice, discipline, dedication and sportsmanship. The programme will feature a combination of in-school and after-school activities along with basketball competitions.

"We are excited to partner with NBA, the world’s premier basketball league, in transforming India’s basketball landscape," said Nita Ambani, the Reliance Foundation Chairperson, "India has a rich reservoir of sporting talents and schools are the fountainhead where those talents can be identified and nurtured. Through this historic association, Reliance Foundation looks forward to bringing the NBA’s world-class expertise and curriculum and taking Indian basketball to greater standards of excellence."

The programme will be supported by international NBA coaches include Syndney Haydel (USA), Jala Richard (Portugal), and Joao Rocha (USA). Local trainer Shibu Robert and eight assistant coaches from Kerala have also been recruited for the programme. They will be visiting 125 schools to support the trained physical education instructors who will be conducting daily basketball-led physical education classes for grades 4-10 in their schools.

In addition to the in-school portion, three centers have identified as elite training centers; selected student from these 125 schools will receive advance training at the elite centers from the international coaches every Saturday during the duration of the programme.

3-day Train the Trainers basketball clinic with Troy Justice in Kochi

The Kerala Basketball Association (KBA) along with Regional Sports Center (RSC) will host Kerala's second phase of the Train the Trainers Coaching Clinic in the state over three days from June 24-26 at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Kadavanthara, Kochi. The clinic will be laed by Troy Justice, the NBA's Senior Director of International Basketball Relations. Phase 1 of the programme back in 2011 attracted over a 100 coaches.

Along with coaches, selected players of the NBA's Generation adidas programme will also attend the clinic to be trained with Justice. Additionally, Justice will also work with the Kerala State Junior Girls basketball team.

The three-day event will include introduction to NBA/FIBA resources to coaches, clinics about different type of defensive coaching options, drills for team offense, NBA/FIBA offensive sets and plays, focused drills on player development, and Q&A sessions with Justice.

The RSC has imported 25 lakh rupees worth of basketball equipment from Germany, including tempered glass backboards, international quality rings, nets, electronic score boards and other electronic material. Justice will unveil the equipment along with PI Sheik Pareeth, the Distric Collector of Ernakulum on June 24.

National Basketball Championships tip off with big wins for host Punjab

The 63rd National Basketball Championship, the biggest annual domestic basketball tournament in India, tipped off on Friday, December 28th at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana, Punjab, with hosts Punjab Men and Women picking up impressive wins on opening night. Meanwhile, Women’s defending champions Indian Railways kicked things off with a dominating win over Delhi in which superstar Geethu Anna Jose scored 51 points.

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India's Finest descend to Ludhiana for the 63rd National Basketball Championship for Men & Women

A total of 46 teams from around India - 25 in the Men's and 21 in the women's section - have descended upon the city of Ludhiana in Punjab for India's biggest annual basketball event, the 63rd National Basketball Championship for Men & Women. The tournament, which will be pitting the finest basketball players that India has to offer, will be tipping off on Friday, December 28, 2012, and will conclude with the Finals on January 4, 2013.

The action is set to be held at the Guru Nanak Indoor Stadium Basketball Court in Ludhiana. It is being organised by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) in association with the Punjab Basketball Association (PBA).

Here is the complete list of participating teams in their groups, via the BFI.

Men

• Level 1, Group A: Punjab, Services, Kerala, Delhi, Karnataka.
• Level 1, Group B: Tamil Nadu, Indian Railways, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh.
• Level 2, Group C: Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh.
• Level 2, Group D: Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal.
• Level 2, Group E: Odhisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan.
• Level 2, Group F: Maharashtra, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry.

Women

• Level 1, Group A: Indian Railways, Delhi, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab.
• Level 1, Group B: Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh.
• Level 2, Group C: Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh, Gujarat.
• Level 2, Group D: Rajasthan, Bihar, Haryana, West Bengal.
• Level 2, Group E: Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand.

Last year's champions in Chennai, Punjab (Men) and Indian Railways (Women) will be looking to defend their titles this year. Punjab come into the tournament not only as reigning champions but also as hosts, but they can expect a stiff challenge from the likes of Tamil Nadu, Indian Railways, and Services in the Men's division. Indian Railways (Women) have been dominating this tournament and have won it for the past nine consecutive years. They will be looking to make it 10 in a row this time around, although teams from Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi might also look to upset the powerhouses.

In addition to the tournament, a 'Train the Trainer' coaching clinic is scheduled to be held at the venue on January 1-2 under the direction of India's new national team coach Scott Flemming and India's Strength & Conditioning Coach Zak Penwell. Penwell's book on Strength & Conditioning for the Indian basketball player will also be officially released at this event both in English and in Hindi.

On January 4, Coach Flemming will host an open tryout for any interested youth players to try and have a shot at India's U16 teams for both boys and girls.

The next week is definitely going to oversee the most significant domestic events in Indian basketball, so all hoops fans in the country are encouraged to attend and follow the action. You can follow results of the games daily here on the BFI website.

Troy Justice & Zak Penwell to lead BFI's "Train the Trainers" programme in Indore

During the course of the 29th Youth (U16) National Basketball Championship for Boys & Girls in Indore (Madhya Pradesh), the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) will organise a 'Train the Trainers' clinic for coaches who are taking part in the tournament as well as other local coaches in attendance on Friday, October 12. The clinic will be led by Troy Justice, the Senior Director of Basketball Operations of NBA India, and Zak Penwell, National Strength & Conditioning Coach for the BFI.

The clinic will be held from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM on Friday at the Indoor Basketball Court of the Emerald Heights International School in Indore. This is an open event and all coaches are welcome to attend.

Roopam Sharma, the CEO of BFI, said, “This programme continues our Train the Trainer programme which is essential to the growth of basketball across India. Holding these clinics in conjunction with the National Championships will allow coaches from each state to increase their knowledge, as well as ensure that we conduct clinics across each geographical region of India. The BFI, with the help of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), has procured International Coaches for the purposes of, not only training our National Teams, but also educating the masses to develop the game at all levels.

"I am grateful to both Zak Penwell and Troy Justice for taking the time to come to Indore and conduct this event. I hope all the participants will obtain an immense knowledge and a deeper understanding from this event."

Troy Justice is the Director of Basketball Operations, National Basketball Association (NBA) India. He provides expertise to the NBA India regarding basketball development, operations, administration, personnel and trends.

Zak Penwell is currently the National Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Basketball Federation of India. He is responsible for all aspects of physical development for the Senior and Junior Men's and Women's National Basketball Teams.

The 29th Youth National Championships are being held in Indore from October 6-13, 2012.

29th Youth National Basketball Championship tips off in Indore

24 boys' and 24 girls' teams from across India will be taking part in the 29th Youth National Basketball Championship for Boys & Girls, set to be held in the city of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, from October 6-13, 2012. The tournament, organised by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), is for under-16 players, and will be held at the Emerald Heights International School in Indore.

The tournament is being organised by the BFI in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh Basketball Association.

Last year’s championship was held in Nagpur, Maharashtra where the Delhi (Boys) and Kerala (Girls) won. 2012 hosts Madhya Pradesh will look to build on their boys’ 2nd place finish last year.

Matches will be played in one indoor court and two outdoor courts. The format of the Championship will be league cum knockout of Level 1 and 2.

At the onset, Roopam Sharma, CEO of the BFI, said “Basketball Federation of India is delighted to host the 29th Youth National Basketball Championship for Boys and Girls in Indore. The BFI is thankful to the Madhya Pradesh Basketball Association and Emerald Heights International School for rendering their support in organising and hosting the event. The Youth National Championship is aimed at providing the perfect platform for these young boys and girls to showcase their talent and keep them abreast with game strategies and skills required to improve the playing standards of basketball. I am certain that such competitive championships will sustain the interest of youngsters and will nurture, groom and further encourage them to take up basketball as a career option.”

During the event, 25 boys and girls will be scouted and selected to participate in the U-16 National Coaching Camp which will be held subsequently to further enhance their training skills. These 50 players will be receiving the monetary benefits as a part of the BFI’s ongoing program to encourage the talented players. The best amongst the U-16 probables will be further selected to participate in the next a future international competition.

To further develop the game, the BFI has organized NBA India’s Director of Basketball Operations, Troy Justice, and India’s National Strength & Conditioning Coach Zak Penwell, to conduct a coaching clinic for the participating and local coaches October 12th. This is an open event and all coaches are welcome to attend. This initiative is primarily undertaken by the BFI under the Train the Trainers Programme.

NBA's Train the Trainer programme held in Pune

NBA Press Release: The National Basketball Association (NBA) hosted the Train the Trainer programme at PYC Gymkhana in Pune on Monday, June 11, with some of the top basketball coaches from the city being part of the training session.

The Train the Trainers programme, a part of the 2012 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA basketball development programme in India saw in attendance numerous coaches for the two day session hosted by Troy Justice, Sr. Director, Basketball Operations, NBA International.

The two day programme featured on-court clinics and classroom sessions aiming to provide the coaches with additional training skills for the development of players from a skills and fitness perspective.

The sessions also featured the NBA’s first-ever Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA India-focused training video. The 75 minute DVD, shot in India with local players, including videos illustrating fundamental skill development, advanced offensive moves, and fitness training. Each coach attending the ‘Train the Trainer’ session received a copy of the DVD.

The attending coaches were also informed of the dedicated Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA microsite on NBA.com/India that will provide all coaches and physical education instructors access to videos, photos and other materials to reinforce proper training technique.

Train the Trainer programmes have already been held in Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai. The next and final programme of this year will held in Chandigarh.

NBA's Train the Trainer programme held in Mumbai

NBA Press Release: The National Basketball Association today hosted the Train the Trainer programme at St. Dominic Savio School with some of the top coaches from Mumbai being part of the training session.

The Train the Trainers programme, a part of the 2012 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA basketball development programme in India saw in attendance numerous coaches for the two day session hosted by Troy Justice, Senior Director of Basketball Operations, NBA International.

The two day programme featured on-court clinics and classroom sessions aiming to provide the coaches with additional training skills for the development of players from a skills and fitness perspective.

The sessions also featured the NBA’s first-ever Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA India-focused training video. The 75 minute DVD, shot in India with local players, including videos illustrating fundamental skill development, advanced offensive moves, and fitness training. Each coach attending the ‘Train the Trainer’ session received a copy of the DVD.

The attending coaches were also informed of the dedicated Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA microsite on NBA.com/India that will provide all coaches and physical education instructors access to videos, photos and other materials to reinforce proper training technique.

The Train the Trainer programme has already been held in Delhi and Chennai and will be held in Pune and Chandigarh also this season.

Chennai hosts 2012 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA 'Train the Trainer' programme

NBA Press Release: The National Basketball Association (NBA) in India hosted the Train the Trainer programme at JJ Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, June 3, with some of the top coaches from the city participating in the training session.

The Train the Trainers program, a part of the 2012 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA basketball development programme in India saw in attendance numerous coaches for the two day session hosted by Troy Justice, Sr. Director, Basketball Operations, NBA International.

The two day programme featured on-court clinics and classroom sessions aiming to provide the coaches with additional training skills for the development of players from a skills and fitness perspective.

The sessions also featured the NBA’s first-ever Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA India-focused training video. The 75 minute DVD, shot in India with local players, including videos illustrating fundamental skill development, advanced offensive moves, and fitness training. Each coach attending the ‘Train the Trainer’ session received a copy of the DVD.

The attending coaches were also informed of the dedicated Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA microsite on NBA.com/India that will provide all coaches and physical education instructors access to videos, photos and other materials to reinforce proper training technique.

The Train the Trainer programme will also be held in Mumbai, Pune and Chandigarh.

Delhi hosts 1st Train the Trainer event of Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA basketball development program‏me

NBA PRESS RELEASE: The NBA hosted the first Train the Trainer programme at Delhi Public School (RK Puram) from Sunday, May 27th, with some of the top coaches from Delhi being part of the training session. This was the first event of the 2012 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA basketball development programme which will be held across five Indian cities this year.

The two day programme featured on-court clinics and classroom sessions aiming to provide the coaches with additional training skills for the development of players from a skills and fitness perspective. NBA India's officials Troy Justice and Eban Hyams helped lead the sessions.

The sessions also featured the NBA’s first-ever Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA India-focused training video. The 75 minute DVD, shot in India with local players, including videos illustrating fundamental skill development, advanced offensive moves, and fitness training. Each coach attending the ‘Train the Trainer’ session received a copy of the DVD.

The attending coaches were also informed of the dedicated Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA microsite on NBA.com/India that will provide all coaches and physical education instructors access to videos, photos and other materials to reinforce proper training technique.

The Train the Trainer programme will also be held in Chennai, Mumbai, Pune and Chandigarh.