Mini-Basketball England International

An invitation from France......

Hello from Wimereux, France

We are pleased to invite your Mini-Basketball team (boys 1999 and 2000) to play in our annual basket ball tournament on 7 and 8 of April 2012. We have organised this tournament for 5 years and it is always a very good time for mini- basket ball and friendship. It will be a 2 days tournament with 12 teams from all Europe.

Wimereux is located on the north coast of France near Boulogne sur Mer, We accept 2 girls playing in the team. For accomodation, there is 2 excellent possibilities (clean and cheap):-

Camping été indien (in Wimereux): www.eteindien-wimereux.com
Youth Hostel (in Calais): www.auberge-jeunesse-calais.com/ adjcalais@wanadoo.fr

Some teams from France, NL and Belgium are already ok to come and we will be very pleased to receive you. Let me know as soon as you can if you intend to come. If you need more informations, don't hesitate to ask me. Sincerely yours, Guy Feutry. Chairman

Mini-Basketball Islands: The Development of Mini-Basketball on Malta

Ivan Riolo, PE Lecturer at Malta University, a good friend of Mini-Basketball England, is the Chairman of the Malta Mini-Basketball Commission. Ivan has worked with Martin Spencer MBE Education Officer, trained as a Val Sabin Licensed Trainer and invited Martin to work with coaches, teachers & children in Malta. Ivan's wife Charlotte also attended a European Mini-Basketball Jamboree held in Nottingham. Charlotte, Ivan, Martin & the Northampton School Sports Partnership also worked together to stage a Sports Festival on Malta involving Northampton & Malta to demonstrate the principles & value of mini-sport.

The past…

Mini-Basketball copied the adult version of the game. There were clubs and competitions with ranking tournaments. Mixed age-group categories were used starting from under 10 upto under 13 yrs of age. Mini Basketball courses were held locally with the participation of Italian experts in the field. Malta participated in International Mini-Basketball Jamborees and starting to rethink the approach.

A Mini Basketball Movement…

In 2005 at the end of season basketball forum a development model was launched which targeted an immediate adaptation of the adult game to fit a game suitable for children. Changes were immediately taken on board and adapted to create an environment fit for children. The 'Mini Basketball commission' was created.

Immediate adaptations were carried out…

Introduction of age categories Under 9, Under 11 and Under 13's.
Introduction of the concept of 3 vs 3 up to the 11 year old age bracket.
Playing across the court rather than along the length.
Having festivals instead of ranked tournaments.
A policy to disallow leaders to play overage participants.
Communication between Leaders during tournaments.

Long term adaptations…

Developmental programme targeted to educate Mini Basketball leaders (Seminar/s)
Basketball promotion unit established.
Introduction of the Junior official/referee programme.
Introduction of end of season festivals for the various categories.

Introduction of new categories…

Under 8 Mixed
Under 10 (separated by gender) 3 vs 3 game
Under 12 (Transitional phase 1) Introduction to the 5 vs 5 full court

Transition to basketball…

Under 14 (Transitional phase 2)

First competitive ranking league structure

3 v 3 concepts on a Mini Court

3 v3 is introduced in clubs and practiced up to 10 yrs olds to develop.

Space awareness
Give and go
Pass and move
Emphasis on pass rather than dribble

There is a choice of progressing to 4 v 4 with no dribble. More offence is encouraged rather than defense.

Tournaments & Festivals

A Mini Basketball tournament every Saturday morning (8.30am – 11.00am). Each category plays an official MBA tournament every 4/5 weeks with no ranking of teams.. An end of season festival is held for every category.

Registration policies

Avoiding 'abuse' of over age participants.
All mini basketballers are to be registered by their club.
Coaches in possession of Birth certificates which have to be shown on request.

Communication between leaders

Providing equal opportunities.
Avoidance of 'running up scores'.
Dividing teams and groups by ability whenever possible.

Developing Mini Basketball Leaders & Parents

Educational programme targeting LTAD principles. Experts in the field of the mini game were invited to lead workshops & seminars. (Martin Spencer/Maurizio Mondoni). The Foundations In Coaching Course was introduced (www.um.edu.mt//ipes) It was essential that parents at the clubs were educated in the new approach.

Introduction of the Junior Officials…

We want to share the Take 6 Mini-Basketball concept. The first mini referee course (22 youngsters 10-16yrs) was held in 2010. From 2011 'the young official in mini basketball' will be held. The programme will be monitored by qualified officials. All young officials officiate mini basketball and some have moved up to officiating the cadets/cadettes leagues.

Some statistics…

Local Mini Basketball Nurseries…

Starlites B.C, Loyola B.C, Euro Basket, Hibernians, Depiro Basket, Luxol, Siggiewi B.C, Athleta B.C and Mellieha B.C (not regular participants in Mini)

Approximate Malta Mini-Baskeball numbers:

Under 8: 62 Girls, 71 boys
(133 participants) Under 10: 57 Girls, 98 Boys
(155 participants) Under 12: 101 Girls, 102 Boys
(203 participants)

Approximate total: 550/600 Mini Basketball participants

Mini-Basketball in local schools

Mini basketball is generally a club sport not school sport. Basketball appears as an invasion game in the Malta Physical Education curriculum. Schools have the opportunity to send children to sessions organised by the Basketball Development Unit.

Kunsill Malti Ghall-Isport

Malta Sport Council promotes:

Foundations sessions for all children in the FUN damental stage of development based on fundamentals of movement and a variety of sports.
Sport specific programmes for children from 10 yrs onwards.

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