SEE / Irving Guanipa Ojeda
The Third Venezuelan Basketball Conversation was held this Tuesday in the auditorium of the Venezuelan Olympic Committee (COV), and had as speakers three prominent figures from the so-called sport of the giants, Francisco “Paco” Diez Escribano, Sioux Fernández and José Correa, who spoke on various topics of the activity before numerous coaches, referees, journalists and lovers of the discipline and specified that basketball is an evolution that requires permanent updating work.
The first to speak during his speech at the 3rd Venezuelan Basketball Conversation, organized by the Capital District Basketball Association and the Venezuelan Olympic Committee (COV), was Sioux Fernández, president of the Capital District Basketball Coaches Association , who spoke at length about the philosophy of the game of basketball, defense, strategies, styles and evolution of the game by coaches and those who must impart knowledge about this sport.
-In Venezuela, the coaches have forged their own style, Venezuelan basketball has its own identity. We are the ones who do spontaneous basketball. Social networks are only injecting the way the NBA is played, which has nothing to do with what we coaches in the country are looking for. I particularly consider that social networks represent a necessary argument that we can use to project more activity, it is extremely important that we all use these media to contribute to the development of basketball. Let the work that is done to contribute to its development be known, Fernández said.
He stressed that the players have the obligation to implement their game more both offensively and defensively, always complying with the values provided by the coaches during each preparation day from the lower categories, since they must be given the necessary technical foundations. to improve goals with each player.
In this sense, he highlighted the work that the consecrated power forward Néstor Colmenares has carried out over time, whom he considers one of the most complete Creole players who has excelled on courts in the country and beyond the borders.
He also specified that basketball is a matter of common sense and for it to evolve further, this argument should be used.
José Correa and the regulatory changes by FIBA
The former referee of the Professional Basketball League, with a long professional career in the country, is currently an instructor for the International Federation of Associated Basketball (FIBA) and the Venezuelan Basketball Federation (FVB), who has been doing a commendable job in terms of to the training of arbitration personnel, as well as in the updating of those who perform such functions and of the national coaches.
The first thing that Correa argued was that there should be no divorce between the coaches and the technical staff, since it is a task that goes hand in hand to achieve the good basketball that everyone wants from the lower categories, so both parties require be well updated with the most recent regulations indicated by FIBA.
-As of October 1st, there will be many changes in basketball because changes in the rules of the game will be established by FIBA. Contacts that cause disadvantages must be called as fouls. The players’ uniforms must have the number clearly visible, with a size of 16 centimeters on the back and 8 cm on the chest. They may present any amount of publicity, but as long as they meet the requirements of the governing body of the discipline, from the minor categories, such as mini-basketball, to the higher ones, such as masters. The referees are obliged to intervene but not interrupt the development of a match. The goal is to maintain uniformity. Each time a foul is committed, the game clock and shot clock must be stopped immediately.
We can assure that basketball is evolving, so it is required that it must be constantly updated, Correa said.
Francisco «Paco» Diez: NO to the coaches of the grandstand
The legendary coach of numerous teams from the defunct Special Basketball League, Professional Basketball League (LPB) and National Basketball League (LNB), Francisco “Paco” Diez Escribano, was in charge of closing the discussion session and expressed the need to maintain the work of the coaches regarding the game schemes established in the minor categories, such as the non-implementation of zone defenses, in the minor divisions, until the age of 15, something that has been sought to eradicate for a long time and tried again to avoid since 2011.
He also specified that in Europe teams from many nations seek to invest to ensure that there are toxic parents and “rostrum coaches”, since they do a lot of damage to the player in formation.
-For me it is much easier to direct professional players who know what they have to do on the court and are trained, unlike those who are in full training, because you must become a grandmaster to prevent them from losing interest and love for the game, when being rebuked by toxic parents, who by not knowing how to guide them, what they do is frustrate the child. I repeat that in some European countries the teams are investing to prevent the clubs from “being dismantled” by the coaches of the stands or the toxic parents, who only harm instead of contributing, when after the game they scold them or rebuke “why did you do that play, why didn’t you pass the ball or why didn’t you ask for it”, etc. We must prevent these situations from occurring, through courses, talks, seminars, etc., to educate parents, so we can have better players and true fans of basketball. Conflicts cannot be created between players and parents who want to go beyond normal demands, said the former IND president.
