Mumbai: Three-time WNBA Champion Swin Cash tipped off the city’s first Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA Championship today which saw youth from schools all across in Mumbai participate, and is being held through Dec. 20 at the Dominic Savio School in Andheri.
The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program has seen over 100 schools and 60,000 youth participate since it launched in October in Mumbai. The City Championship marks the culmination of three competitions that have been taking place across the city. There will be a finals of the 5x5 team competition featuring the top eight boys and girls teams from across the city; a 3x3 team competition featuring over 150 teams; and the finals of the Hot Shot individual shooting competition, which will see one boy and girl crowned as the best shooters in the city.
“It is an honor to travel to India on behalf of the Reliance Foundation and the NBA to help teach basketball to young boys and girls in India,” said Cash. “It is exciting that the sport I love is taking off in India and I am looking forward to working with these kids.”
The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program promotes health, fitness and an active lifestyle through basketball, and teaches the values of the game such as teamwork, sacrifice, discipline, dedication and sportsmanship. The program featured a combination of in-school and after-school activities along with basketball competitions.
“We are very happy with the overwhelming response to the Reliance Foundation Jr NBA Program. The program provided youth from communities across Mumbai the opportunity to learn from NBA certified international coaches. The Reliance Foundation Jr NBA Program is an important step in Reliance Foundation’s efforts towards using sports as a medium to tap the immense potential of youth and channelizing their energy in meaningful ways to promote valuable life skills. We are looking forward to spread this program in various other cities in India and reach out to a million students” said Mr. Jagannatha Kumar, Head, Reliance Foundation.
Since launching in October, the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program has featured 16 after-school programs, including participation from seven YMCA’s, which has provided youth the opportunity to learn from five NBA-supplied certified international coaches who have overseen the program, trained local coaches and conducted clinics.
The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program provided more than 100 physical education instructors/coaches and schools with resources to promote participation and a healthy, active lifestyle. These local coaches were trained by NBA-supplied coaches and each received a ‘Basketball in a Bag,’ which contained a localized coaching guide, cones, whistles, a stopwatch, posters, and an air pump. In addition, more than 2,000 basketballs, as well as basketball systems, were provided to participating schools in order to give youth an opportunity to learn and enjoy the game.
Reliance Foundation and NBA India entered into a multiyear partnership in October 2013 to launch a comprehensive school-based youth basketball program in India with Mumbai being the first city to tip off the program.