Mark Schuurman from 3x3 Unites Foundation from the Netherlands talks with members of the St. Maarten Island Hoops program about leadership and taking responsibility.
Mark Schuurman visited Coach Paul Bell and the St. Maarten U-18 3x3 basketball team. Schuurman from 3x3 Unites talked to the group about the power of three -on-three basketball and the life lessons and leadership opportunities the sport can offer young athletes.
“The reason for my visit is to explore opportunities for St. Maarten 3X3 to develop in this new Olympic Sport,” said Schuurman. “After a short visit of 1 day I will head to Guadeloupe to educate and lead a leadership course .”
Schuurman talked about how the 3x3 foundation in the Netherlands goes into urban areas. That play some 3 x3 basketball. A very fast, short but physically demanding version of the full court 5x5 game
3x3 is played half court. The game is limited to 10-minutes or 21 points.
After the games, several of the natural leaders are given a leadership class. Then they are given control of the court and asked what do you want to do.
“We let then decide if they want to organize tournaments,” said Schuurman. “We support them help them but let the players learn by making decision.
One of the first events the group of new leaders ran was going well, until they realized they were just minutes away from an expected award ceremony, yet they had not organized trophies or any kind of prizes.
Later in another tournament organized by the players, the prize instead of a medal or cash was access to a high-level basketball training event “To help bring up their game,” explained Schuurman.
The 3rd edition of the Antilles IBF 3x3 Hoops is taking place in in Guadeloupe. Seventeen boys and girls U18 teams from 15 countries will take part in the program that includes a 3x3 basketball tournament and a Youth Leadership and life skills workshop. The event was organized in collaboration with Caribbean Basketball Confederation and the 'Ligue Régionale de Guadeloupe de Basketball'.
To earn their trip to the final, the U18 teams had to win the qualifying event in their respective countries. A total of 200 teams and almost 1000 players took part in these events which is a huge increase from last year (120 teams) and speaks to the hard work of the National Federations of encouraging youths to play.
ST. Maarten is also represented at the training in Guadeloupe by Bell and the St. Maarten 3x3 squad.
Bell once played for Coach Schuurman and later coached with him. Bell wants to bring the 3x3 unites program to the St. Maarten Island Hoops program.
