NBA, FrieslandCampina Vietnam kick off 2nd basketball program for kids

Minh Nga

A girl who participates in the 2015 Jr. NBA program practices basketball skills - PHOTO: COUTERSY OF ORGANIZERS

Launched in HCMC on April 26 and in Hanoi on May 13, this year’s program features training camps for both coaches and players in more than 200 schools and community centers in the country’s two biggest cities.

Opened to players between 5 and 14 years old, the free program promises to train participating children with basic lessons about basketball, the core value of sports spirit, teamwork, positive attitude and mutual respect.

Players between the ages of 10 and 14 will be eligible for top selection during the Selection Camp on May 16 and 17, and the Jr. NBA National Training Camp in HCMC on May 19 and 31.

The top 40 boys and 24 girls aged 10 to 14 will be chosen following a series of skills and character assessments to participate in the National Training Camp.

Joined by a professional basketball player, the Jr. NBA National Training Camp includes three training days to select ten boys and four girls for a team call “Jr. NBA All-Stars”.

The team will go on a trip abroad with the NBA and other “all-stars” teams from other Southeast Asian countries late this year.

The 2015 Jr. NBA program is also supported by Spalding, Saigon Sports Academy, Vietnam Basketball Federation, HCMC Basketball Federation, and Hanoi and HCMC departments of culture and sports.

Following successes of last year’s program, this year’s Jr. NBA program continues to promote for the “Drink, Move, Be Strong” campaign. Through the sponsorship of Dutch Lady, FrieslandCampina Vietnam is working toward raising public awareness of nutrition and healthy lifestyles for children, especially adolescents through playing sports and consuming proper nutrition.

According to a survey conducted by the Southeast Asian Nutrition Surveys (SEANUTS), more than 16,700 children under 12 have deficient intakes of vitamins D, canxi and other nutrition substances.

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