Africa-Press – Liberia. Basketball is the second most popular international sport played across Liberia, but the biggest question is how decentralized is basketball across Liberia?
During my journey as a sports journalist across Liberia, I came across so many low standard football pitches, but just a few basketball courts. Why don’t we have more basketball courts across the country?
Speaking over the weekend, one executive director said this is one of the harshest realities he lives with every day, seeing low investment and support for the development of basketball across Liberia – the executive director, for YouthConnnect Liberia, Rev. Caleb S.G. Dormah.
How strong is basketball in Maryland, Grand Gedeh, Lofa, Rivergee and other counties? There are amazing talents out there, but they may not be noticed because we lack the structure and system in place to create opportunities for them to develop and showcase their talents.
We need a huge developmental plan from the Government of Liberia to ensure communities across the country experience sports projects. This will enable Liberian basketball talents across the country to develop well and learn the foundation of the game.
Basketball is a huge sports business, but Liberians will only see the benefits of basket profit if the central government and the Liberia Basketball Association step out of Monrovia and develop the game across the country.
Liberia needs more basketball coaching education, spotting talents at a very young age, building more courts, working with schools’ sports departments, and creating lower leagues.
