Hoops for Health Workshop Concludes

Yesterday Basketball Fiji concluded its second Hoops for Health Coaches training workshop with a message from BF’s president to be better role models, coaches and community members. Major General (Ret) Ioane Naivalurua encouraged the participants to take the messages of the workshop and implement it in their own lives whilst challenging them to be the best versions of themselves.

 

The workshop was run for the first time six months ago with the aim of better equipping basketball development coaches with the skills to deliver quality basketball clinics. The workshop also looked at incorporating health messaging into the basketball sessions to encourage people in schools and communities to live more active and healthy lifestyles.

 

This year’s workshop built upon what was already learnt and expanded its target audience. Basketball Development Officers from the Fiji National Sports Commission attended the workshop to learn more about basketball. They will be looking at including basketball in their curriculum and taking the Hoops for Health messages of NCD prevention to their outreach programs in the north, Sigatoka region, Lautoka area and Suva.

 

Development Officer for Suva, Ms Elesi Icanidrodro, commented that she had never really understood basketball before the workshop. “Now I love it!” she said.

 

Basketball Fiji’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Laisiasa Puamau, commented that having the support of the Fiji National Sports Commission was a key achievement for 2015. He noted that Basketball Fiji now really have the opportunity to expand the reach of basketball across the Fiji islands.

 

National Basketball Development Officers from the Basketball Federations of Vanuatu, Kiribati and the Solomon Islands were also in attendance this week. They will be looking at running similar workshops in their countries in the coming months.

 

New to this year’s workshop was a games-based health resource developed specifically for the Hoops for Health program. The resource uses basketball drills to teach healthy lifestyle messages. The cards have 10 different health topics and different options for games to play which focus on specific basketball skills and health objectives.

 

The resource is still in its pilot phase, but the coaches from Basketball Fiji’s workshop have come away from their training with a set to use in their sessions in primary schools and outreach clinics. The participants all noted what a great help the resource would be in their delivery. As sportsmen and sportswomen, the participants understood the basketball aspect, however the resource will assist them in the delivery of health messaging.

 

Basketball Fiji is also grateful for the assistance provided by FIBA in Oceania. Specifically the attendance at the workshop by Ms Jo Ferris, Ms Annie La Fleur, and Ms Catherine Grawich. The training workshop was run with the support of Olympic solidarity funding through the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC).




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