Following the remarkable success of its 2023 edition, the FIBA Africa Mini Basketball Forum is set to make a significant impact in Madagascar with its 2024 event.
Scheduled from July 15-18 in Antananarivo, the forum aims to foster the growth and enthusiasm for basketball among the continent’s youngest players.
Over the course of three days, the event will bring together 400 children at Kianja Barea in Mahamasina, the heart of the Malagasy capital.
In addition to the young participants, 70 coaches from 15 African countries are registered to attend, ensuring a rich exchange of basketball knowledge and culture.
The international contingent of coaches includes representatives from Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco, Benin, Senegal, Egypt, Ghana, and Tunisia.
This collaboration, under the aegis of FIBA Africa and the FIBA Foundation, underscores the event’s significance and the shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of basketball talent.
The training sessions will be led by two distinguished FIBA instructors, Moroccan Nour Amir and Guillermo Calvo from Spain.
Their expertise will be crucial as they conduct both theoretical and practical sessions designed to equip the coaches with the skills and knowledge needed to train young athletes effectively.
These coaches will then impart their newly acquired insights to the children, ensuring a ripple effect of quality training throughout the participating countries.
As the 2024 FIBA Africa Mini Basketball Forum approached, the excitement in Antananarivo was palpable.
Onja Soloharinivo, the head of Mini Basketball at the Malagasy Basketball Federation, expressed her enthusiasm, highlighting the forum’s potential to significantly boost the sport’s growth in Madagascar.
“Our goal is to foster the development of the sport,” Soloharinivo emphasized. She cited the success of the regular Mini Basketball sessions hosted by the MBBF as evidence of the sport’s increasing popularity. “The Mini Basketball program has been very successful.
This forum will undoubtedly generate even more interest in the game in Madagascar, enabling a greater number of young children to get a strong start,” she noted.
The impact of Mini Basketball activities in Madagascar has been substantial. Soloharinivo reported a significant rise in the number of young children taking up the sport. “Our involvement in various African forums has positively influenced Madagascar.
Since we started hosting Mini Basketball activities, we have seen a steady increase in the number of U12 players, as well as in the number of basketball schools in Madagascar,” she explained.
Moreover, the Mini Basketball schools in Madagascar have evolved in their approach to training sessions. “We have also noticed that many Mini Basketball schools have changed the way they run training sessions for their children,” Soloharinivo added, indicating a shift towards more effective and engaging coaching methods inspired by international best practices.
The forum is not just a local event but a beacon of hope and development for the entire region. By bringing together a diverse group of coaches and young athletes, the FIBA Africa Mini Basketball Forum fosters a sense of unity and shared purpose in the pursuit of basketball excellence.
As the young participants and their coaches prepare for the event, the anticipation is high. The forum promises to be a transformative experience, not only enhancing the skills of the children and coaches involved but also strengthening the foundation of basketball in Madagascar and beyond.
In conclusion, the 2024 FIBA Africa Mini Basketball Forum in Madagascar is more than just a sporting event. It is a celebration of youth, education, and the boundless potential of basketball to inspire and unite.
With the support of FIBA Africa and the FIBA Foundation, this forum is set to leave a lasting legacy, encouraging more young talents to pursue their basketball dreams and contributing to the sport’s growth across the continent.
Photo: FIBA
