A cohort of basketball coaches from Saint Lucia has successfully concluded an advanced, six-day certification program conducted by renowned FIBA instructor Nelson Isley. The intensive training, which also included participants from Dominica and Guyana, took place at the Beausejour Gymnasium in December and represents a significant shift in how the International Basketball Federation qualifies its coaches worldwide.
Mr. Isley, a former NBA draftee from 1971, detailed the comprehensive overhaul of FIBA’s certification methodology. Developed in partnership with the World Association of Basketball Coaches (WABC), the new system moves beyond theoretical knowledge to prioritize hands-on, practical coaching demonstration. This paradigm shift ensures that certified coaches possess verifiable skills to effectively teach and lead players.
The rigorous program requires candidates to undergo written examinations and, most critically, to demonstrate their instructional capabilities on the court. Coaches are assigned fundamental topics such as passing or dribbling and are evaluated against a strict set of criteria based on their teaching performance. Upon completion, participants are designated as either ‘competent’ or ‘not yet competent,’ with successful coaches earning official FIBA WABC Level One certification and inclusion in the global database maintained in Geneva.
Isley expressed considerable optimism regarding the participants’ performance, noting he was ‘pleasantly surprised’ by the high caliber of coaching talent. He emphasized the program’s vital role in elevating basketball’s standing within the Caribbean sporting landscape, where cricket, football, and track and field traditionally dominate. By raising the standard of coaching, FIBA aims to directly improve player development from the grassroots level, particularly focusing on youth aged 9-12, thereby fostering both athletic proficiency and personal growth.