KFC Star Search camp hopes to reach basketball dreamers
AFTER a successful first two days in Montego Bay, the KFC Star Search training camp staged by the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA) will move to central Jamaica today at Knox College for two more days.
The training camp, which was usually held at G C Foster College of Physical Education and Sport for one week over the years but was cancelled last year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, was restarted this year.
Nearly 50 young players turned up at Montego Bay Boys’ and Girls’ Club in Montego Bay where they were taken through drills to improve their individual skills by eight instructors, including four head coaches.
Coordinator Alf Remekie said while the players were enthusiastic and the two days were successful, the long layoff had impacted their fitness levels.
He also said the idea of moving the training sessions around the island proved to be a good one as they were able to reach more players.
The players were separated into four groups — boys Under-15, Under-17 and Under-20 and girls.
“The one advantage of having three venues is that we have been able to reach more kids this way rather than when we had the one week at one venue format,” Remekie told the Jamaica Observer.
“All the kids are behind in their fitness due to the long layoff but they want to play, and it’s a good thing for them to see that the sport is not dead,” he added.
The players, he said, would be tested and profiles would be made of them and put on an Internet platform which US high school and college scouts can access.
“They need to work on their individual skills as this is what the camp is for… it is to test them and find out their status [then] we put them on a platform where coaches overseas can see them.”
Already, Remeke said, the sessions for Knox and in Kingston set for National Stadium August 13-14 were fully subscribed at the limit of 50 at each venue.
“We are still getting calls for spots but we don’t want to have too many players as we need to stay within the prescribed protocols,” Remekie said.
One advantage the Knox and Kingston venues will be, he said, multiple courts, “so we will be able to be well-spaced and spread out and will be able to work better”.
