Courtesy of The Anguillian (Weekly Independent Newspaper)
ANGUILLA -- The media and other key stakeholders were invited to the J.C. Recreational Centre on Tuesday, March 22 for a brief press launch of the 5th Annual Joe Farroba Basketball Camp.
The camp which sees over 60 participants is slated to begin on August 8th and conclude on August 12th. It is the brainchild of Coach Joe Farroba, Head Coach at Bridgewater State University (Boston, USA), and is geared towards boys and girls aged 8 – 17 years who desire further knowledge and fundamentals of the game of basketball. The camp is a collaborative undertaking among Coach Joe Farroba, the Sports Department of Anguilla and the JC Recreational Centre. Coach Farroba boasts the most wins in BSU’s history with over 300 goals.
Coach Farroba discussed plans for the upcoming camp. Stunned that it’s now five years since the camp’s inception, he said: “We have good quality instructors who are as enthusiastic as the kids who look forward to the camp. The more touches and exposure the kids get, the more apt they have to get better at the game”.
Mr. Farroba’s team includes a number of coaches from the USA as well as local Anguillian coaches. They are Coach Don Byron – Head Coach at Oliver Ames High School, Dave Barrett, Mike Byron, Kevin Barrett, Jack Barrett, Ian “Tucker” Connor, Delano Mussington, Cuthbert Jackson, Randy Webster and Lisimba Price.
Director of Sports, Mr. Rollins Richardson, thanked Mr. Farroba on behalf of his department and the Government of Anguilla for his continued support and dedication. He noted that the government has been involved in the sport from its inception and it was great to see the camp grow and not die. He continued: “The junior basketball players are very enthusiastic to attend this camp. The experience and information they gain from this camp can be utilized to help develop their skills. At the Department of sports we are very keen to continue this camp because we see sports as a means for upward mobility”.
The camp assists participants in a number of areas including ball handling, fast-break drills, individual & Team drills, defense/offense strategies and free throw instructions.
Public Relations Officer of the Anguilla Amateur Basketball Association, Rudy Webster thanked Mr. Farroba for all he has done, and for his continued support for the development of basketball talent in Anguilla. “Everyone’s dream is to get to the next level and it is good to see that we have proper channels and an annual camp that players can look forward to”, he said.
In closing Jane Rogers said: “The inclusive and team-building nature of the camp allows youth from different villages to interact with each other in a positive setting”.