Marty Handson Scholarship Program to Prepare Coaches for Upcoming Basketball Competitions

Gold Coast (AUSTRALIA) – Coaches from the region are set to take part in the Marty Handson Scholarship Program, beginning on May 10^th.

The program was named after former head coach Marty Handson who passed away in 2016. Beyond being a great coach leading Victoria Country to its first Gold Medal, Handson was also strongly involved in the development of athletes and coaches across all levels of the basketball community. His dedication to this cause is recognized and respected within Basketball Australia and FIBA Oceania as he was traveling internationally to deliver programs, sessions, and clinics.

Complimenting the FIBA Global Strategy, the Marty Handson Scholarship Program supports empowering national federations through boosting grassroots programs, enabling access to coaching development across the region.

The Marty Handson Scholarship Program is a 3-month program implemented in partnership with Basketball Victoria to prepare coaches and develop their skills for the upcoming events taking place in Oceania.

24 coaches nominated by their respective National Federations will participate in the workshops set out in 2 phases.

The first phase consists of online workshops including theoretical learning and workshop discussions of coach development in a forum setting. In addition, the participants will be mentored by world-class players, coaches, and industry professionals with a focus on building depth in the coaches’ pathway.

During the virtual sessions, topics such as leadership, scouting, game coaching, and nutrition will be tackled.

Northern Marianan coach, Marlene Lumabi is looking forward to implementing the learnings from the program in her country. "What I hope to achieve with my participation in the Marty Handson Scholarship program, is to grow my coaching perspective and gain more knowledge as a young coach. I look forward to implementing everything I'll be learning through this program by pouring back into our Junior National athletes, in hopes to elevate the sport in our home island" 

For the second phase, 3^rd to the 17^th of July, 2 participants (1 male and 1 female) will have the chance to be placed in an Australian-based local Basketball Association and will have the opportunity to shadow NBL1 coaches.

William Peter, from Fiji, expressed his desire to learn more about the mechanics behind the game and develop his leadership. "I want to have a better understanding of the mechanics behind in-game coaching, from the scouting of the other team to forming the game plan suited to the scouting report. Beyond the game itself, I want to better understand the leadership role I play and learn more about how to set the example as a coach."

These workshops will prepare the participants for upcoming events such as the FIBA U17 Oceania Championship and the Pacific Games.

FIBA