ISC 2012 Basketball Coach Training: Post 5

ISC 2012 Basketball Coach Training Day 6 Children’s Programs

The 2012 International Sport Connection Basketball Training was held at Lira Integrated School and Sports Center in Lira, Northern Uganda.  This area has been affected by the recent LRA war and it continues to be a State Department priority area for aid and reconciliation efforts.  Providing caring adult mentors for the children of this area will improve the psychosocial outcomes of this vulnerable population. 

The International Sport Connection aims to improve the outcomes of children through grassroot development by training coaches to mentor and train youth in their communities.  Research of the 2010 and 2011 soccer ISC coach trainings showed that each ISC trained coach reached an average of 150 players.  A total of 57,321 players were impacted by the ISC soccer trainings from 2010 to 2011.

In addition to the comprehensive coach training components there was a unique dimension of the ISC 2012 basketball training in Uganda.  418 children were included in the ISC 2012 basketball coach training program.  The children ranged in age 8 to 12 years old and there were 210 girls and 208 boys who participated.  The children were split into a morning group and an afternoon group.  Each child was given a team t-shirt and a snack each day.

Megan, Elsie, and Lira Integrated teachers coordinated the children’s programs during the week.  The children learned about John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success through the use of his children’s book, Inches and Miles.  Each day the kids would begin with reading the book, reciting the Pyramid’s blocks, and acting out the principles of teamwork, friendship, loyalty, and many others with creative skits and songs.

After lots of laughs and smiles, the children took part in physical activity on the sports field.  This included stretching, dancing, singing, and running competitions.  All of these activities lead up to their reception onto the courts where the ISC trainees cheered and encouraged them to learn basketball skills on the courts at Lira Integrated Sports Center.  Each day the children experienced new basketball skills in a positive, fun, and active environment. 

One of the favorite chants sang during the week was, “How do you feel? GREAT! How do you feel? GREAT! I’M A WINNER! I’M A WINNER! I’M A WINNER!”  By the end of the training, the ISC Coaches could walk through the town of Lira and kids everywhere would shout out, “How do you feel?”  Seeing the messages and impact of the 2012 ISC Basketball Coach and Children Training seep into the community made the ISC Instructors smile and call out, “I feel great!”

The 2012 International Sport Connection Basketball Training in Uganda was supported by generous contributions from the SportsUnited division of the U.S. Department of State.