Youth basketball fall season tips off

The resurgence of mini basketball play in The Bahamas has officially begun. The Island Youth Basketball League (IYBL), powered by Ballin’ By Da Beach, tipped off its fall jamboree on Thursday evening at the Kendal G. L. Isaacs National Gymnasium. The mini basketball league, founded by Jurelle Mullings and Neville ‘Manny’ Adderley, is set to cater to boys and girls from K4 to grade eight. On Thursday, players from various age groups participated in combine rotations, which included warm-ups and scrimmages, along with a team draft reveal among league coaches. The IYBL is set to be broken into fall, winter, and spring seasons, as co-founders, coaches, partners, and sponsors look to hit the ground running with youth development at the grassroots level. Myckell Brown, 13, was in attendance for the league’s tip-off and expressed her excitement about the IYBL. “I feel excited,” she said. “I like how they have it in an indoor gym so even if it rains you can still come in here and do what you have to do. I like the age groups that they have, and I feel like it is very productive. I like the things that they are teaching so far, like how to plant your feet on the ground for foundation because it is very useful in the game.” Brown, a student at Windsor School, typically spends her time playing soccer, but she intends to pick up a few basketball skills as well to hone her craft. “I definitely hope I learn how to shoot better, dribble a bit better and learn how to play more competitively,” she said. The 13-year-old versatile athlete also spoke on being outnumbered by her male counterparts in the sport but insisted that all of this is overlooked when it is time to play ball. “It could be a bit nerve-wracking because you look around the room, and you don’t see a lot of girls here,” she said. “It could be only you, and it’s a lot of boys, but once you get in the game you do not really care or think about it anymore. It is fine — just go out there if you are a girl and play.” As previously mentioned, the IYBL specifically targets kids in the K4 to grade eight range. One of the youth league’s core visions is to “reach every child on every island” to not only create a space for basketball development but also character development. Turè McKayle, 4, is among some of the youngest to join the league for its inaugural season. He spoke about his love for the sport and what skill he picked up on day one.
“I like playing basketball because it is fun. I learned how to shoot,” he said.
His future goal at the young age of four years old is to become a basketball coach.
The IYBL is supported by notable partners. The league has partnered with several organizations, including the New Providence Basketball Association (NPBA), New Providence Women’s Basketball Association (NPWBA), the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, and the New Providence Association of Certified Basketball Officials (NPACBO).
Courtesy of: thenassauguardian.com