More than 1,000 Thais benefit from Jr NBA clinics to promote basketball
Junior NBA - the NBA's international youth development programme that promotes basketball participation and an active lifestyle among boys and girls - launched in Thailand for the first time with Foremost as presenting partner.
The Thailand tip-off is part of the multiyear regional partnership agreement between the NBA and FrieslandCampina, the parent company of Foremost and one of the largest dairy companies in the world. More than 1,000 Thai coaches and boys and girls joined the tip off with a coaches clinic and open clinics for kids at the New International School of Thailand, in Bangkok.
Jr NBA Thailand 2014, presented by Foremost, will run until August, reaching more than 100 schools and communities in its first year.
Jr NBA has been staged in the Philippines for seven consecutive years as part of the ongoing partnership between the NBA and FrieslandCampina through its Alaska brand, with more than 80,000 students, parents, and coaches participating in camps, clinics, and NBA Cares activities. Participants are trained in the fundamentals of basketball and learn the importance of the Jr NBA core values of sportsmanship, teamwork, a positive attitude, and respect (STAR).
“We are honoured to partner with Foremost to help improve the health of children across Thailand,” said Francesco Suarez, vice president, Global Marketing Partnerships, NBA Asia. “Basketball is an easy game to learn and a great way to teach boys and girls the importance of exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Thanks to the support of Foremost, we are bringing Jr NBA to Thailand where, together, we can speak directly to kids, parents, and educators about health and fitness.”
Inspired by the need to work towards improving the nutritional status of children in Southeast Asia, the partnership with Jr NBA is part of the “Drink.Move.Be Strong” campaign, which aims to bridge critical nutrition gaps identified by the Southeast Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS), a nutritional study initiated in 2009.
Jr NBA Thailand 2014 offers additional clinics leading up to the Selection Camp on July 26-27, where the top 40 boys and top 24 girls ages 10 to 14 will be chosen following a series of skills and character assessments to participate in the Jr NBA National Training Camp in Bangkok from August 1-3.
The National Training Camp, which will be attended by an NBA Legend or Player and feature NBA Cares community outreach, consists of a three-day intensive training schedule and culminates with the selection of 10 boys and 4 girls who will be named as the inaugural Jr NBA Thailand All-Stars. These standout campers will have the opportunity to join a unique NBA Experience trip and play against a counterpart team from another country later in the year. In addition to Thailand, Jr NBA also launched for the very first time in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia earlier in the year.
The programme is free and open to players between 5 and 14 years old. Players between the ages of 10 to 14 will be eligible for top selection during the Selection Camp and National Training Camp.
