BE Holding ‘Basketball Development Model’ Conference to Review Pathway

Basketball England will be holding a ‘Basketball Development Model’ conference this weekend, that will look to provide an all-encompassing review of the current player pathway in England, aiming for marked improvement in overall coaching, officiating and playing standards at all levels.

The Basketball Development Model (BDM) aims to increase access and participation in the sport nationwide, helping those involved fulfil their potential by defining a clear pathway for progression with adequate support.

The National Governing Body hopes the approach will ultimately enhance the country’s chances of competing – and winning – on the global stage.

The two-day conference will feature the inputs of many experts in the game and from other sports and sectors to consider: the latest research; new discoveries for developing basketball; identifying new and universal standards for the game; better methods and more science about developing players, coaches, officials and all the people who support basketball.

Part of the conference includes considering the feedback Basketball England have been receiving from players, parents, clubs, coaches, officials and volunteers at all levels in the sport.

Following the conference, a draft set of proposals will be drawn up and introduced to the basketball community in England for further debate and discussion via a series of roadshows around the country. BE describes this as an equally important step as they attempt to engage the whole of basketball to move the sport forward.

“I’m really looking forward to the Basketball Development Model conference,” commented Stewart Kellett, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Basketball England. “It’s very rare that people in a sport are given the opportunity to review the whole player pathway, be part of turning over every stone in the game and then seek the very best ways of running it and developing players to reach their full potential. Sport England, our major funder for the growth and development of basketball, have been extremely supportive of us adopting this approach and modernising the practices that will help us take basketball forward.

“This will be a first opportunity for each of the expert groups to share the emerging thinking and direction and allow them to interact and discuss their findings in detail. We have seen other sports move forward very successfully in recent years to grow participation and success at international level. It usually starts with a definitive pathway, clear standards, growing expertise in the sport and then galvanising those involved to be the best they can be – at whatever level. This week marks that point where we start the journey of growth and success for basketball.

“Over the weekend, the cross-group working should lead to each group being able to consider all the areas of research and allow them to respond in designing the model in their area of expertise and, most importantly, design joined-up ways to deliver the best possible experience for players to enjoy basketball, develop the love of the game for life and have a clear and effective pathway to progress and compete at the highest level. We are applying the same principles to coaches, referees, table officials, analysts, sports science staff, volunteers and all who make this great sport work.

“The opportunity that reviewing the pathway presents is huge and I am very grateful to all the members of the research groups, who can all rightly be called experts in their field, for giving their time and energy to help basketball in this country to improve.”

Following on from the British Basketball Federation publishing it Vision & Strategy document ‘Transforming Basketball in Britain Together 2016-2028‘ earlier this year, eleven working groups have been set up to look into current practice in English basketball, with representatives from FIBA, other nations and team sports from around the world.

Each group is made up of a Basketball England representative and experts from the broad spheres of academia, basketball, other sports and the relevant dimension of the sport that is under consideration.

Their remit is to identify the best practice for Basketball England to consider and areas for improvement. They will be reporting their findings this weekend at the conference, with those learnings and recommendations making up the fundamental cornerstones of the Basketball Development Model.

The BDM will provisionally cluster female and male players into eight age brackets and provide a set of best-practice guidelines for each of the identified areas at every stage of a coach’s, official’s or player’s journey.

This approach aims to provide a robust and scientific pathway for everyone to progress through, upgrading the general performance level of the sport’s participants in England.

Basketball England’s Technical and Performance Manager Vladan Dragosavac said: “The Basketball Development Model and all of the experts involved in this process will help us to better understand how to improve the existing player and talent pathway.

“This is a unique project that will define all links between different parts of the player development sector.

“It is player-centric, will support both participation and performance and codify how to maximise the potential basketball has in England.”

The 11 working groups are investigating the following subjects: Coaching, Competition, Facilities, Lifestyle, Officiating, Psychology, Research, Sports Medicine, Sports Science, Stakeholders & Partnerships, Strength & Conditioning and Technical and Tactical.