SOLOMON ISLAND BASKETBALL FEDERATION
P O Box 181, Honiara Solomon Islands TELEPHONE: (677) 27354 FAX: (677) 25686. Email: 3xq@solomon.com.sb Lawrence Quan (Patron), hatigevf@anz.com Freda Matangi (President), kilokogolden@hotmail.com (NBDO)


31st of March 2006,

FIRST QUARTER REPORT 2006 (JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH)

INTRODUCTION

2006 is a very challenging year for basketball Solomon especially with aimed to achieve our plans and goals. The QQQ primary school league, the Telekom high school league, the proposed open Easter tournament, the Solomon Games and the FIBA youth tournament. They are some of the Federations goals that need to be achieved.

In January I had conducted a school camp for students in and around Honiara; the school camp was basically introduced basic knowledge and prepare youths on basketball coaching, refereeing and bench for future school competition. The school camp was conducted for a week, and it was commenced on the 14th to 20th January 2006. A total of 25 students had joined the camp, most of the youth team members were also joined in the SIBF organized school camp.

PRIMARY SCHOOL LEAGUE

The QQQ Holdings Ltd had offered to sponsor the Primary school basketball league this year, this is yet to be eventuated because of the tight scheduled of the only available basketball venue at the multi purpose hall. In fact it was supposed to be kicked off last month, but as mentioned above, we are still sorting out ways on how to fit in to other sports program that also used the venue. Hopefully it will kick off any time this month as a lot of kids are eager to play basketball.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

Solomon Island Basketball Federation had negotiated with Solomon Telekom to sponsor its 2006 High school league, they had assured us that they will assist our high school comp this year. Formalities of the tournament are underway and hope that by mid of April the school league should kick off. A lot of schools are prepared and looking forward to the high school competition.

ALL - ROUNDER SCHOLARSHIP AT USP CENTRE - FIJI

As part of the Solomon Island Basketball Federation development plan to send basketball athletes on scholarships, the SIBF was fortunate to send four of its basketball athletes to a new scholarship which is offered at the University of the South Pacific this year. The scholarship have to recommended by each respective NOC, I used my capacity as of the Vice President of our NOC and recommended four (4) of our basketball athletes with good academy background, and they are now currently doing their studies and also training at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji. The names of the recipient are Trevor Kaitu`u, Bennie Vave, Liza Winnie (Female) and Garvin Lulu. We also have one student who is now currently doing his basketball scholarship in USA, his is currently playing at the college league. I`m currently working on recommending more basketball athletes to take up the scholarship next year 2007, as it will really assist us in preparing for future regional and international tournaments.

IOC FUNDING FOR OUR YOUTH TEAM

The International Olympic Committee had approved USD$40,000.00 to assist in the preparation of our youth team to participate in the FIBA Oceania youth tournament to be held in Auckland on the 15th to 21st October 2006. I had applied for the funding last year through our NOC. We (SIBF) are currently drafting a budget to submit it to IOC in order to release the funds to NOCSI.

YOUTH TEAM

Solomon Island Basketball Federation is preparation its boys and girls team to take part in the youth tournament in Auckland, New Zealand in October. The team(s) had kicked off their training since January 2006; they trained three times a week at the multi purpose hall. It is part of the SIBF plan to expose our young athletes so that they may have experience, confidence and strength to prepare them for future regional and international tournament.

AUSTRALIAN YOUTH AMBASSADOR

The FIBA Oceania along with the Australian Government had worked on a project on sending youth ambassadors to the Asian Pacific which included Solomon Islands. The idea of deploying a Youth Ambassador to Solomon Island to assist in the development of basketball was raised in early 2000. The Solomon Island Basketball Federation was really delighted with the assistance from FIBA Oceania and the Australian Government to send a Youth Ambassador Mr. Ryan Burns to assist in the development of basketball in the country, especially in developing basketball through out schools in and around the country. It will really boost basketball and also we see it as an opportunity to further develop basketball to another step. Ryan is assisting the NBDO in its development plan here in Honiara and also in the provinces.

The Solomon Island Basketball Federation would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the FIBA Oceania and the Australian Government for its commitment and ongoing support towards the development of basketball in the country.

HBL

The Honiara Basketball League is yet to kick off its session; the Committee is yet to announce its date for the competition. They had already secured a sponsored to assist them on their league; hopefully it should kick off any time this month.

Most of our competition will commence by end this month, and as I mentioned above and also on my previous reports that we really having problems with venues to run our proposed competitions. The only access venue is the Multi purpose hall, but was also used by other sports and private organization. We are currently working on alternative on how we can solve our problem.

The Solomon Island Basketball Federation would like to thanks the FIBA Oceania for its ongoing assistance in the development of basketball in the country, especially in its administration.

Plans for next quarter

1. High School Competition
2. Primary School Competition
3. School base camp
4. Solomon Game
5. Easter Tournament
6. Tour Provinces
7. ZDO visit
8. Visit schools
9. Youth team training cont.

Thank you

Sincerely yours




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Golden Kiloko
NBDO
SIBF