News according to Sports Central has it that the basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) is determined to hold their Secondary School national competition in 2020 despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Chief Executive of Basketball New Zealand, Iain Potter has revealed that there will be a new process to this year's competition that will help in organizing the national competition.
Potter said as reported by Sports Central: “Attending a national event is a big deal for schools and the kids who get to play. The basketball community gets in behind it and we are grateful an event can still proceed. "This year might be different, but it will be a celebration of secondary schools basketball.
He also revealed that the national event will staged in Palmerston North, New Zealand from 29 September to 3 October and the qualification process will be through regional and local competitions to determine the participating schools.
Potter explained: "We thought it might be possible to host an adapted event and worked closely with New Zealand School Sport around this qualification approach. "It will be better for schools, parents, and players – it means less time-pressure, less cost, and less interference for local sporting and academic activities.
Basketball New Zealand is also determined to ride the positive momentum and phenomenal growth of basketball with the sport recording the second most participated school sport in 2019. Despite the competition events, the body will continued its community program, 'Hoops in Schools' which installs new hoops in schools around the country.
As Mayfair Schools and Tamatea High School are the latest beneficiaries of the initiative.
The Principal of Mayfair School, Ricardo Fox said: “The hoops have been a revelation. The kids cannot get enough of them and community members are coming down outside of school hours making the most of the new resource. “Our old hoops were archaic and what ‘Hoops in Schools’ has done is provide our young ones with the opportunity to have instant access and helps get them moving.
Potter, the Chief Executive of Basketball New Zealand also acknowledges the welcome challenge of developing new facilities for the fastest growing youth sport in the country.
He said: “The Hoops in Schools program has been wonderfully supported by the likes of the Lion Foundation. They see that their investment is resulting in great community experiences. “We know the first two installations further North have resulted in a big bump in basketball participation at those schools. Kids want to play the game; they just need to be given the opportunity.
With this development, New Zealand would be one of the great countries in basketball in the nearest future as the work on youths is paramount.
