US France-based basketball instructor wraps up visit to The Gambia

US France-based basketball coach and instructor Tommy Davis at the weekend returned home at the end of his one-week visit to The Gambia where he trained local basketball coaches and young basketball stars to develop their skills in a game that is beginning to regain its fame in The Gambia.

Davis, himself a former basketball player,  who has 20-year experience in basketball, was the instructor of a rigorous training course for national basketball coaches jointly sponsored by the Gambia Basketball Federation, US Embassy in Banjul, Trust Bank Limited, Gamtel, Gamcel and other associates.

Mr Davis, who came to an intensive, challenging but successful end of his one-week sojourn in The Gambia on Saturday, said his main intention is to help both local coaches and young basketball players to develop their skills in basketball.

Davis said that if the level of willingness shown by both the coaches and the young players during the past week is anything to go by, The Gambia “will no doubt produce some great basketball players in the near future”; something he believed could positively impact on the nation’s quest for top-flight basketball competitions.

The training formed part of a series of undertakings initiated by the Gambia Basketball Federation the primary objective of which is to identify the country’s young and talented basketball players with a view to training and exporting them to future basketball competitions.

Also speaking to reporters at the Independence Stadium basketball lawn where the programme took pace was Pamela Ann White, US ambassador to The Gambia who said she was equally impressed with the turnout of the young Gambian basketball players, particularly the girls.

Ambassador White described the participation of the children as relevant, saying such a captivating initiative of this kind would no doubt help the country’s basketball federation in identifying the best of talents to represent the federation and the country in various competitions.

She used the occasion to reaffirm her embassy’s support for the Gambia Basketball Federation towards such accomplishments at all times.