Jr NBA scheme expected to reach over 17,000 children

The National Basketball Association has announced the return of the Jr NBA, the league’s global youth basketball participation programme for boys and girls.

Presented by Foremost for the fifth consecutive year, the expanded Jr NBA Thailand programme is expected to reach over 17,000 boys and girls from more than 200 schools nationwide this year.

This year’s expanded programme includes a series of Jr NBA coaches academy workshops to provide on-court training, strength and conditioning, and basketball education to over 1,500 physical education teachers nationwide.

The Jr NBA coaches academy will include stops in five cities across the country —Ang Thong, Bangkok, Lampang, Songkhla and Udon Thani.

“The launch of the Jr NBA Thailand programme in 2014 signalled the beginning of our long-term commitment to local youth development,” said Francesco Suarez, NBA Asia vice president, global marketing partnerships.

Olarn Chowiwattana, corporate affairs director of FrieslandCampina Thailand, said: “Our partnership with the NBA provides local youth with the opportunity to participate in a world-class development platform in the Jr NBA.

“We look forward to the continuation of the programme for the fifth consecutive year.”

The 2018 programme includes a series of school clinics, followed by a selection camp on June 30 where the top 32 boys and top 32 girls will be selected to advance to the Jr NBA national training camp from Sept 7-9 at Stadium 29 in Nonthaburi.

The Jr NBA programme is free and open to boys and girls aged 5-14.

For more information, visit the official event website at www.jrnba.asia/thailand and follow the Jr NBA on Facebook at www. facebook.com/jrnbathailand.

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