A new Instagram page was launched last week – BBA Representative Kids 2021 - which posts videos breaking down drills and skills for players to practice.
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Vice-president Amy Nicholas said the idea came about as a means to motivate players while they were away from the club.
“With us being shut down at the moment, we wanted to provide our kids something they can easily do at home,” Nicholas said.
“So Longy (Tony Long) and I got together and thought it was a good opportunity to make a page for our rep kids and it went from there.
“We want them to keep their skills and fitness up before we go into October and hopefully a junior CBL season.
“We are aiming to post a drill each day where we break it down for the kids. We want them to get out there and get a ball in their hands.”
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With Benalla’s representative players spanning different age groups, some drills may be unfamiliar for some.
But each drill hammers home the basic skills players need to know to continue to advance.
“These are definitely drills we would practice in training. Some age groups might not have done them, but you’d find these drills throughout Basketball Victoria Country skill days and academies,” Nicholas said.
“It’s our aim to have these BVC drills embedded in our kids from an early age so when they try out for jamborees or the different pathways, they will be attuned to these drills.”
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Followers can also expect to see inspiring posts on the page, including Nike's latest advert You Can't Stop Us, with the association hopeful of encouraging its kids to dream big.
“We want them to be inspired and to know their dreams and goals are not out of reach,” Nicholas said.
“There is that saying, ‘hard work beats talent’ - that is something we really want to put out there.
“With kids wanting to get to college basketball, country kids often feel like that is unattainable to them, so we really want to open their eyes to the pathways and possibilities."
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Players are also encouraged to send in pictures or videos of them practicing the drills.
“We want to keep this feeling like a community – we’re thinking about our players, we know it’s a hard time and we want them to stay engaged so when we come back together and train we have a stepping stone to build off,” Nicholas said.
“We want them excited and pumped, and I know they are, they’re desperate to get out and play.”
● Follow Benalla Basketball Association’s Instagram page at @bba_representative_kids2021.
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