By Victor Okoye
The Amateur Basketball Academies (ABA) has organised a one-day training and trainers’ clinic for 20 academy coaches in Minna, Niger State.
The clinic followed the successful first edition held in Abuja and attracted grassroots basketball coaches from across the state.
The programme held at Avant Garde Hotel and 123 Basketball Gymnasium focused on the role of academy coaches in youth development.Declaring the clinic open, ABA President and Founder, Prof. Aliyu Abubakar urged participants to embrace the initiative to transform basketball development nationwide.Abubakar, a deputy comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service, appreciated stakeholders and supporters for backing the vision of grassroots basketball development.“Today is beyond basketball. It is about building the future, empowering youths, and strengthening coaches for sustainable basketball excellence in Nigeria,” he said.
He said successful basketball nations invested in grassroots development, coaches’ education, mentorship, and structured training systems.According to him, the training clinic represents ABA’s commitment to creating sustainable pathways for young talents to achieve excellence.
Abubakar said ABA’s developmental structure and proposed league system had received commendation from basketball stakeholders and sports administrators.“At ABA, we believe the future of Nigerian basketball begins at the grassroots, and every child deserves an opportunity through sports,” he said.
He added that the unveiling of the ABA League reflected the determination to establish organised grassroots competitions nationwide.Resource persons at the clinic included Coaches Alex Ujoh, Adeka Daudu, Emmanuel Odah, and Oyekan.They trained participants on technical and tactical instruction, player development, injury prevention, sports psychology, officiating, and leadership development.
he event also featured a training session for over 150 young basketball players at the gymnasium.Kayode Adeniyi, Head of Media and Public Relations, ABA, said the clinic would strengthen grassroots basketball development in Nigeria.
According to Adeniyi, ABA remains committed to equipping coaches with modern knowledge and skills for talent discovery and mentorship.He said the initiative would help create structured pathways for young athletes to achieve success in basketball and life.Adeniyi added that ABA would continue partnering stakeholders to expand grassroots basketball programmes across the country. (NAN)