Foyle Basketball camps sow seeds

Local co-ordinator of the annual Adonal Foyle Basketball Camp Sabrina Mitchell is overwhelmed with the response the camp has had on the mainland.

She described the attendance on the first two days held in Barrouallie on Monday and Calliaqua on Tuesday as “phenomenal”.{{more}}

“It has been extremely successful and has exceeded our expectations”, Mitchell said.

Her assessment was based on the turn out and enthusiasm exhibited.

Mitchell alluded to the numbers that turned out on the opening day when they catered for 250 participants but ended up with 275.

There was a similar situation at Calliaqua on Tuesday, as the hard court there proved inadequate, the adjoining Calliaqua Playing Field was used for some of the sessions.

“As Adonal said, even if the kids do not play basketball, but (are) just getting into some sport, then the camps are successful”, Mitchell added.

Mitchell sees no reason why basketball will not take off in the respective areas.

“All the areas visited by the camp, we will leave things like the portable rings and other equipment so that they can continue their programme”, Mitchell, who is also the Secretary General of the Caribbean Basketball Association and President of the FIBA America Finance and Budget Commission, projected.

“The onus is on the local area committees and the basketball association to do the necessary follow ups”, she opined.

Mitchell pointed to what has occurred in her home base of Bequia following the first camp held there last year.

“Since our camp last year, everybody just want to bounce ball, as soon as the lights are on, on the court the kids get there and keep bouncing, at times it’s hell to get the matches started, that’s the impact it has had”, Mitchell said.

The 2007 edition of the Foyle camp is the biggest undertaking by this country’s first and lone NBA player Adonal Foyle, who was born in Canouan.

The first camp was held in Canouan and Union Island in 2003, then Bequia was added last year. It is the first time that the mainland is getting a taste of Foyle and his team of professionals, which includes psychologists, counselors, retired NBA players, doctors , conditioning specialists, the full works.

Apart from learning the fundamentals of basketball, the participants receive instruction in preventing HIV /AIDS and are taught the benefits of reading.

After Tuesday’s Calliaqua experience, the camp moved to Bequia on Wednesday and Union Island on Thursday.

The camp’s third edition should end today Friday in Canouan.(RT)