To provide more transparency and accountability, the Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF) officially announced that a coaching selection committee will review and select the head coaches for the different national teams in the future. The announcement came at a press conference that was held at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on Wednesday.
President of the BBF, Eugene Horton, threw his support behind the decision.
“The BBF is confident that the committee will treat this process with professionalism and transparency. We have been working diligently behind the scenes to create the criteria and selection process. We hope that the process remains in place in the future for the federation,” Horton said.
The recommendations from the committee will be sent to the executive committee which will be tasked with putting training and programs in place for the candidates that do not meet the requirements.
The committee includes notable basketball minds in Dr. Linda Davis, Kimberley Rolle, John Todd, Anthony Swaby, Felix Musgrove, James Clarke Sr., Shantell Penn, Natasha Miller and Randy Cunningham.
Davis, who was grateful for the process, said that the federation is moving in a new direction, one with higher standards, transparency and accountability.
“Persons who wish to contribute in a very serious way to the development of basketball on a national program perspective are welcomed to join with us. They will be held accountable through the process and clear criteria and standards. It allows the federation the opportunity to put some systems in place that will build from the youngest programs to the senior programs,” Davis said.
The process to apply is open and it can be found on the federation’s website: www.bbfbasketball.com. The only team that is set to travel this summer is the senior men’s national basketball team. Davis said that there is a standard and criteria in place for coaches looking to apply for the top position of the various teams which includes being a good mentor and role model and someone who is respected and has a command.
“One of the things that we were very focused on was the international standards. The international governing body has some criteria that speak to our expectations, inclusive of the certifications. We use that as a guideline and use other models, not only in North America but further. Things such as coaching programs and being current, demonstrating the level of character that we want to see within a person who is leading a national entity, are vital. Bahamian nexus is important so someone who is familiar or tied to the country in some way, shape or form, is important. We recognize that the ability for us to pull on expertise even more widely is going to be up to the coach selected,” Davis said.
The head coach will be allowed to pick his or her coaching staff. The coaching positions begin upon the date of appointment and will extend for a three-year period unless otherwise determined by the BBF.
Horton also announced that the annual general meeting (AGM) and election of officers of the BBF is set for September 2.