2024 European Mini Basketball Convention Concludes in Denmark

COPENHAGEN (Denmark) – The 9th edition of the European Mini Basketball Convention was successfully held at the House of Sports in Brøndby from 30 May to 2 June 2024.

Hosted by the Danish Basketball Federation with the support of FIBA Europe and the FIBA Foundation, the Convention combined theoretical and practical sessions, to equip Mini Basketball delegates with the tools to successfully introduce basketball to children in the 5-12 age group.

Following last year’s Convention in Spain, this year’s program also included the 2nd edition of the FIBA Europe Mini Basketball Coaching Course (FEMBCC) in which 50 of the 66 European delegates participated.

Besides the delegates, 33 local coaches have joined the practical sessions involving 60 kids from local clubs – ensuring that the Convention was a smashing success.

Additionally, this year's program featured a visit to the Children's Basketball Foundation's 'Copenhagen 3x3 Summer Festival,' taking place in Frederiksberg on June 1 and 2. During the event, conference participants and FIBA delegates, including FIBA Europe Executive Director Kamil Novak, gained an inspiring insight into the foundation's work in Copenhagen and across Denmark.

“It is a great honor to host the Mini Basketball Convention as we have focused our Federation’s structure from Mini Basketball using the bottom-up approach and has proven to be vital for our development. We will continue our quest of exposing this education throughout our ecosystem for kids to not only learn how to play basketball but also develop their social skills that can be useful for life,” expressed Mads Young Christensen, President of the Danish Basketball Federation.

Since Mini Basketball’s global expansion began in 2018, over 960 delegates from 150 National Federations have reaped its rewards, making it a truly worldwide Basketball For Good Movement.

“Attending this Convention was great timing as our Federation is currently implementing a primary school basketball project. Understanding the responsibility of coaches to make the first experience with basketball for children as positive and fun as possible, will be valuable in the continuous creation and expansion of our program,” said British Basketball Federation’s Chloe Burdett.

Highlighting the program’s impact on Europe, FIBA Executive Director Kamil Novak noted:

“FIBA Europe are proud to support our National Federations to grow participation among the Mini Basketball age group. The development in the past three years particularly has been significant, also with the addition of the Mini Basketball Coaching Course (FEMBCC). Through introducing our beautiful game of basketball into school, the goal is that every child that enters our family, remains there for the rest of his or her life.”

It is now expected that all the delegates and coaches will apply their learnings from the program at the grassroots level within their respective countries.

The FIBA Foundation, FIBA Regional Offices, and respective National Federations will continue their annual collaboration to organize regional Mini Basketball Conventions worldwide, aiming to expand the Mini Basketball Movement. This program fosters the development of grassroots basketball in various regions, offering children an engaging and playful experience.

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The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports and particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.

The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball For Good projects around the world.

FIBA