‘Developing inter-scholastic caging is key’

FIBA Oceania has listed several goals it wishes to accomplish from its meeting with the public and private school officials in the CNMI.

“We would like to advise school authorities of our vision for the future of basketball for young people in the CNMI. Through BANMI, we would like to work more closely with both the government and private school system,” FIBA Ocea
nia Secretary General Steve Smith said.

Steve and wife Judy, who is FIBA Oceania’s Administration Officer, arrived on Saipan Sunday after a weeklong stay in Guam during the 7th FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament. Besides meeting with school officials, they also inspected facilities for the 2009 Oceania Tournament, which Saipan will be hosting in June.

“We would like the schools go have a synchronize competition calendar so that BANMI competitions are not running at the same time as schools competitions,” Steve said.

He added schools should have their tournaments/leagues under FIBA rules, as these are rules used in international competitions.

Smith, who met with school officials Wednesday, said FIBA Oceania through the Basketball Association of Northern Mariana Islands, would provide technical support for school competitions through provision of officials, advice, and technical manuals/videos on the rules.

“We would also like to provide training for score bench and match statisticians, do coaching clinic and have them accredited,” Steve said.

“We also like to have a talent identification and development program for the best athletes from the school program,” Steve added.

PSS has an annual basketball tournament for the elementary schools and the Marianas High School Interscholastic Organization League for middle and high school students.

“At the same time, FIBA Oceania and BANMI would like to use the schools as a point of contact to encourage more boys and girls, not just the elite players from the school, to take part in recreational leagues and tournaments,” Steve said.

“We see this as the other part of BANMI’s role to promote sport as a healthy lifestyle decision and perhaps an antidote for the increasing number of obesity cases and the rising number of people with heart disease and diabetes in Pacific Island countries,” Steve said.

The FIBA Oceania official added that besides the promotion of a healthy lifestyle through playing basketball, the sport can help reduce anti-social behavior and drift the youth away from substance abuse.