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04 www.basketball.ca | your #1 source for all things basketball in Canada SNYB H ow early is too early? This is the inevi- table question parents find themselves asking again and again. Consequently, to- day’s youth appear to be caught between a rock and a hard place. Allison McNeill, head coach of Canada’s Senior Women’s National Team (SWNT) aspires to answer this twofold question as part of a nine-city coaching clinic tour in British Columbia, aimed at parents of participants enrolled in Canada Basketball’s Steve Nash Youth Basketball program. A standout player at the University of Oregon, McNeill has served as Canada’s head coach on all three levels (Senior, Ju- nior, Youth). She led the SWNT to a bronze medal at the FIBA Americas Championship Qualifier in 2005, where Canada earned a tournament birth in the 2006 FIBA World Championships – the country’s first appear- ance since 1994. A recipient of the 1991- 1992 NAIA National Coach of the Year award, McNeill spent 13 years coaching at Simon Fraser University, during 11 of which the team qualified for the NAIA National Championships. Further to her role in developing and mentoring Canada’s top female athletes, McNeill also spends countless time and effort working with young athletes at the grassroots level. She has conducted over 70 youth coaching clinics throughout BC over the last 3 years. “Her tremendous background, her skill in delivery and her enthusiastic passion for both the game and the coaches of our youth is evident in each session”, says Mike Hind, Executive Direc- tor of Basketball BC. Finding the perfect balance is a chal- lenge for anyone, let alone parents. So when Active Healthy Kids Canada released their 2008 report, the distressing statistics on physical activity for children and youth probably left a small contingent of active parents feeling impervious and misrepre- sented. Yet, the numbers don’t lie: 26% of Canadian youth are overweight or obese - a disturbing trend that will increase with time. In support of this research, it might be tempting to blame parental negligence, but the issue at hand is far more complex. Also at fault are overbearing parents with unrealistic expectations. The pressure to win and compete at an early age often re- sults in burnout, injuries and lack of interest. For this reason, it’s essential that parents understand and show an active interest in youth development, exposing their kids to age appropriate sport environments that promote fun and healthy learning. Steve Nash Youth Basketball provides the necessary framework for kids to grow and experience sport through various develop- mental stages. Living up to its namesake, the FUNdamental stage (ages 5-9) provides just that; a fun and positive atmosphere with an emphasis on fundamental movement skills in an inclusive environment. McNeill labels this stage as crucial towards the de- velopment of a child’s cognitive, psychoso- cial skills, and physical literacy – the ABCs of athletics: Agility, Balance, Coordination and Speed. “This is all part of developing a child’s athletic “house” and therefore al- lowing that child to be active in sport for life”, says McNeill. To maximize these skills, coaches are encouraged to teach kids proper movement skills such as jumping, running, starting, stopping, pivoting, twist- ing, throwing and catching. While sustain- ing continued focus on the ABCs, the Learn to Train stage (ages 9-12) challenges kids with more basketball specific skill develop- ment. According to McNeill, one of the rea- sons why children continue to neglect phys- ical activity and organized sport is because they feel they lack the necessary skills and confidence to perform. Therefore, the intro- duction of the core fundamental basketball skills (shooting, dribbling, passing) remains critical to this transition. Timeouts may be longer and attention spans shorter, but McNeill relishes her time just as much working with the youth. “I love the challenge of trying to turn kids on to basketball and sport in general. I love see- ing the “light go on” as they learn something new”. McNeill urges parents to expose their children to a variety of sports, explaining that the more active they are, the more ac- tive their kids are likely to be. “Parents need to remember that they are the facilitators of their child’s experience – it is not their expe- rience, it is their child’s experience”. Conceived in 2001, Steve Nash real- ized an opportunity to provide a sustain- able basketball program promoting par- ticipation, physical activity and teamwork to kids across British Columbia. Due to its overwhelming response, in partnership with Canada Basketball, Steve Nash Youth Bas- ketball expanded its operations nationally in 2007. Utilizing youth basketball as a ve- hicle to build character, discipline and self- esteem, the program not only continues to improve youth development in communities across Canada, but change the health of the nation. The View From The Top Allison McNeill is working with Canada’s youth, from preschool to pro by Dinuka Perera Coach Allison McNeill, far left
