Mini Basketball thrives and excels in the heart of Chile

SANTIAGO (Chile) – Chile witnessed unprecedented enthusiasm for the National Mini Basketball Day celebrations supported by the FIBA Foundation through its Propose a Project Platform.

Close to 6.000 children from across 16 different regions celebrated the event in 29 locations in Chile confirming the Mini Basketball’s ability to transcend the sports barrier.

This opportunity sparked a love for basketball in the young kids and taught them the values of the game that will benefit them in their daily lives. It was also the chance to promote healthy lifestyles and the Basketball For Good values linked to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

Through games, shooting contests, drills, skills challenges, and dancing, the kids could experience an unforgettable experience nicely orchestrated by the Chilean Basketball Federation, the clubs, and the passionate members of the Chile Mini Basquet program.

Francia Huerta, coach and key member of Chile Mini Basquet, explains the birth of this project celebrating the National Mini Basketball Day in Chile:  “Years ago, Iran Arcos, P, wanted to create an event to promote Mini Basket. After many meetings and having in mind the geography of our country, we decided to go with this format connecting many different regions. Thanks to the many different key actors we were able to accomplish it. Our collaboration brought together 3000 kids in 2022. Now, in the second edition, nearly 6.000 kids”.

“The kids were 12 years old or younger. We were flexible, our goal was to impact as many kids as possible. We awarded all the kids with a commemorative wristband, and they were very proud. Everyone felt connected no matter where they played. It was a bonding experience using basketball as a powerful tool to teach values”, says Huerta. 

The Mini Basketball Day was a huge success creating safe environments for kids to play, compete, learn, share and feel protected while helping to promote needed values and the passion for a sport on the rise. Francia expressed her gratefulness for the support of the FIBA Foundation: “It’s been great for us, it’s amazing to feel being part of the basketball worldwide family. The kids were so happy and proud with the mini basketballs and the wristband”.

After this huge success including activities linked to the 16th Sustainable Development Goal which promotes peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, the next steps are “Upgrading the experience, launching a MiniBasket manual, further developing Mini Basket activities, and working hand in hand with passionate persons willing to expand this sport making it bigger and better. We feel blessed to have so many supporters”, as Huerta states.

No doubt that the Mini Basketball movement in Chile looks bright thanks to the effort of the passionate persons willing to work and make the “mini” something “great”.

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About Mini Basketball:

The FIBA Foundation’s Mini Basketball program is a global Basketball For Good initiative to improve health and well-being of 5-12 year old children and to fight physical inactivity and childhood obesity. It is an inclusive grassroots basketball movement addressed to girls and boys and their parents and uses fun & game based learning.