After being newly appointed in April, the new executive of the Belize Basketball Federation is launching its Junior National Team Program. They hope to recruit 20 young basketballers to participate in this summer's Centrobasket U17 qualifiers. It will be taking place in Nicaragua in late July to Early August, and the BBF is hosting tryouts this weekend across the country. Today, the president of BBF, Jacob Leslie, and Associate Head Coach, Darwin Leslie, made a call for all youths who think they have the right stuff:
Jacob Leslie, President, Belize Basketball Federation
"In the past week we have been invited to participate in the World Cup U17 qualifiers. It's slated to take place next year, but the qualifying games are this year, so we're asking for youths who are 16 this year so they can participate in U17 next year. So what we're trying to do is put together some of Belize's best representation in that age category so we can go to Nicaragua at the end of July and have representation from Belize in an age group that we think we can compete very well in."
"Currently Belize is unranked and during our communication with FIBA, they are telling us that we need to participate and so this is our first opportunity as a new federation to participate and put these young people on a platform where they can be showcased."
"We're doing regional tryouts, we're starting on Saturday at Belmopan at 9-12 at the Hilltop Basketball Court, then the same day we're moving to Dangriga at the Russell Chiste Stadium, that's from 2-5 and then on Sunday we're in Belize City at the Mexico Center from 9-12 and then we're in Orange Walk on same Sunday from 2-5. So they just have to show up to the location prepared in their gears to participate and hopefully tryout for the team."
Darwin Leslie, Associate Head Coach, Youth National Team
"Most of the kids just finishing a season, they just came of a very successful Ahmadiyya season and not only that but the clubs have also been working with these youths in the community so I think it's a very good time and I think the kids are prepared to come at this work out."
"The training will look like something that is organised like a national team workout, most kids probably are not used to that but it will be intense, it will be a judging of your skill as a personal player, it will be judging of your skill as a team player and your attitude, you know your attitude towards basketball and how you respond to all the coaches."
"At the end of this weekend, we're looking to choose at least 20 young men and go from there and between now and the end of July, we'll break it down to maybe 12 players but the end of this weekend, we will keep a pool of 20 players together."
The players are asked to bring along a birth certificate or other form of ID showing the player's name and date of birth.
