The year of Mini Basketball in Honduras

TEGUCIGALPA (Honduras) - Honduras have achieved in the first half of the year their plan based on Mini Basketball development, a goal they set in January and that after six months has proven to be a solid growth process for children. It has motivated them to play Mini Basketball and is still the Federation’s main goal for the year 2019.

Within the achieved agenda, the Central American nation has had outstanding participation this year in the FIBA Americas Mini Basketball Congress, the Mini Basketball Festival in Mexico, and the Copa Amistad in Panama. They've also held a Catracho Ballers Skills Academy Camp, which included Mini Basketball, a 3x3 festival, and community projects in public schools that lack physical education and sports.

Honduras Mini Basketball’s structure fosters formation before the international festivals that attract other children and widen the base. Technical teams are organized and are motivated to stay because of the highly positive results and continue and readjust their goals accordingly.

“Mini H (Honduras) Camps are born of the necessity of constantly developing and sustaining activities. After the festivals, there's a new level of knowledge, and coaches can adapt that experience to how they teach kids, and the kids also expect much more. Our sole characteristic is innovation. We want to create something interesting and have fun. That’s why Camp Mini H is a fusion of Mini Basketball and FIBA Foundation’s Basketball for Good initiative,” said to FIBA.basketball Carmen Cubas, Mini Basketball Coordinator for the Honduras National Basketball Federation (FENABAH).

“We have three dates, starting on August 3 in Tegucigalpa, with 60 children from public schools playing outside. We've also introduced a Mini Basketball mascot called Mini Guacamaya (macaw, the national bird of Honduras) Baller. It's important for us to connect the development of the base with our national identity, a sense of belonging in basketball and pride of country and doing so in a unique and fun manner. We're an efficient example of the commitment and love for basketball that overcomes difficulties. We have each other and we can achieve it,” she pointed out.

Each camp day will be adapted to the local needs of the community, with different coaches, courts, cities, and children. The initiative will start in Tegucigalpa, for sectors that are new to the Federation, and with a commitment to community basketball that is shared by Fundación Convive, starting at Parque La Amistad, a facility that has 5 basketball courts, bike paths, games, and other attractions.

The second date will take place in the northern zone, in the city of La Ceiba, at Gimnasio Nacional José Simón Azcona. The third camp will be back in Tegucigalpa, in the month of September. These last two will be exclusively focused on the development of international festivals, national teams, and local pilot centers.

“We're working on Mini Basketball after a project we had a couple of months ago with the Festival in Panama. That's where the idea came up of organizing a Mini Camp in the city of La Ceiba, which is something that helps us to continue developing Mini Basketball and formation. We have already set dates for the Camp for children from 7 to 9 and 10 to 13. Carmen Cubas will be present and we’re counting with parents to help us in these formative stages,” stated Roberto Suazo, coach in La Ceiba.

Each child will have access along with their parents or legal guardians to the conferences for parents of athletes and to the talks for young athletes. The priority is to involve parents as positive agents in their children’s athletic life. The idea is to also foster effective learning with subjects that children should be exposed to while also attending the Mini Basketball Camps.

“Copa Amistad in Panama was the first time I represented my country overseas. I was able to make friends with other players and it was a dream come true. Catracho Ballers Camp helped me improve my abilities and my sports attitude. It included a lot of work and a great deal of concentration. I'm anxious for the next camps in the city to get ready for international competitions,” said Elías Asfura, a national U10 team member from La Ceiba.

These initiatives in Honduras are alive thanks to the support of collaborators and volunteers. Mini Basketball has no founds and is sustained by the commitment of people that wish to get involved. 

“The camp will be accompanied by an exclusive image for Honduras, a place where social efforts are fundamental. The coaches’ jerseys were donated by Hary Galeas, who believes in the project and is well aware of the results of our work. The logo was created by Elsi Linwood, a Design student in CEUTEC Ceiba. Mario Cañadas, a basketball player, has supported us with the backdrops and banners. We’ll give players uniforms that were an initiative of Lizza Godoy, U16 national team member. This shows us that we can foster basketball through solidarity,” stated Cubas.

The expressions on the children's faces reflect the growth of Mini Basketball. They are the reason for this discipline’s global movement. For Honduras, the future of basketball is now, and they are firm in their goal of 2019 being “The Year of Mini Basketball”.

FIBA