CBN partners North East Basketball clinic in Gombe
Chima Azubuike, Gombe
No fewer than 100 teenagers, across the North East region are benefiting from a basketball clinic organised by Adamu Yola Foundation and Jordan Nwora Foundation with support from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The participants for the three days elite basketball camp were drawn from Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Yobe, Borno and Taraba states.
Speaking at a news briefing with Journalists, Col. Sam Amedu (rtd), President FIBA Africa zone 3 and member Nigeria Basketball Federation said the clinic would help the improvement of talent in the region.
He said, “What the camp is expected to do is to lay the foundation by updating both the coaches and the players because for there to be improvement you must practice everyday.
“The everyday practises is meant for those that are on ground for coaches in Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Yobe and surely you will see improvement.”
Also, Alex Nwora, renowned Basketball coach said the clinic is geared towards mentoring both players and coaches to increase the frontiers of basketball in Africa.
“This is my first time of coming to the North East; this is my first time in Gombe. It a privilege to have my son in the NBA and to give give back. I’m here to see what their grassroot basketball is like because that is what we are about. We are trying to develop coaches and players in the continent to make sure basketball grows.
“Basketball will encourage youths to go back to school,it will take them off the streets. There are so much basketball does; it gives you structure, teaches you discipline, if not for basketball I don’t know where I will be today because I grew up in Enugu and it was rough when I was growing up,” Nwora said.
While responding to question why most clinics do not have sustainability structure, Nwora stressed that this was different.
He added, “like you said some people come and once they are gone. It becomes a publicity stunt. That is not what Jordan Nwora Foundation is all about we want sustainability so that once we are done we can continue and if time allows us we can do bi-annual, once a year which is dependent on availability of time and funds. Luckily, for us we have alot of support in Gombe to make this a success through Adamu Yola Foundation.”
Nwora revealed that the age bracket of 14-18 years is due to the coronavirus pandemic, adding that the players would easily uphold safety protocol.
“We normally go for 7, 8, 9 years old but because of Covid-19 and restrictions. we are working with FIBA guidelines and we decided to factor kids that are a little older who don’t have supervision of their parents and if we go for the younger kids their parents will have to be here and we don’t enough rooms for that to encourage physical distancing. We are doing 7 camps in a month and half which has never been done before. We have five more camps after here; it is not in the amount of camps but the quality,” he added.
On his part, Promise Uwaeme, who represented Adamu Yola Ture foundation, said the camp comprises of 60 boys and 40 girls drawn across the region.
While promising that the desired target of hunting talent for the national team and for export would be actualized.
