Basketball for good sails into new communities in western Indonesia

Basketball For Good continues to sail into new corners of Indonesia.

The vast archipelago saw its latest Hoops for Health and Well-Being activation in Pangkal Pinang, a first for the western region, in the province of Bangka Belitung.

This is the sixth city in Indonesia where basketball has been introduced as a powerful yet playful mechanism that not only exposes young children to the joy of sport, but also sensitizes them towards adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Besides promoting the salutary advantages of pursuing a high-intensity sport like basketball, the initiative brought together the local community, with physical education teachers and Bangka Belitung Basketball Association coaches involved to ensure program continuity.

Overall, 20 teachers from as many elementary schools, and three coaches, were introduced to the Basketball For Good Playbook. They will then bring these lessons back to their schools, helping ensure the long-term impact and sustainability of the Basketball For Good Program.

But the highlight, of course, was the students themselves – 608 of them, all in the very young 10-11 age category.

Notably, nearly 50% of the children were girls, underlining the gender inclusivity of the activity led by FIBA Indonesia, in association with the Indonesian Basketball Association (PERBASI).

Parents engaged

Keeping with the practice of innovating with every new clinic, this time around, a parent engagement exercise was conducted to explain the benefits of the Basketball For Good program, and thereby encouraging families to support their children's participation in sport.

FIBA provided a wide range of activities and lessons that went beyond just the sport itself, covering topics like environmental awareness, teamwork, and competitive spirit. Hopefully, this is just the beginning; it would be wonderful to see FIBA Indonesia return to Pangkal Pinang to reach out to other regencies across the Bangka Belitung Province that haven't yet been included,” Bangka Belitung Basketball Association Coach George Setiawan Kusuma noted. This initiative has been incredibly beneficial, providing us with fresh insights and new knowledge regarding basketball instruction that we can apply in our schools,” added Martino, a physical education teacher at SDN 48 Pangkal Pinang.

Community engagement was realized through an emphasis on volunteerism. Across all sessions, the activities focused on teamwork, gratitude, communication, and mutual support, demonstrating how basketball can be used as an effective tool to develop not only bodily skills but also positive character values.

This activity has truly provided valuable experience, particularly in developing young players from an early age. I hope that the basketball industry in the province will grow through the programs organized by FIBA Indonesia and PERBASI, and that future collaborations between the two—hosting similar events—will ensure the sport's continued progress and advancement in Bangka Belitung,” Dimas Dwi Setya, General Secretary of the Bangka Belitung Basketball Association, concluded.

For an Indonesian province known more for its love of volleyball and futsal, basketball has clearly been welcomed with open arms.

The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports and particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.

The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate, and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball For Good projects around the world.