FIRST-EVER CANADIAN BASKETBALL CONGRESS SET FOR TORONTO IN MAY
VIA CANADA BASKETBALL FOLLOW ON TWITTER @CANBBALL AND NPH @NORTHPOLEHOOPS
TORONTO, ON–Canada Basketball and its partners are proud to announce the first-ever Canadian Basketball Congress to be held at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Ontario from May 26 – 28. This year’s event will focus on the theme of discussing how to unify and develop the game of basketball in Canada.
“The Canadian Basketball Congress is a great opportunity for our country to continue to build on the solid growth of basketball in Canada,” said Wayne Parrish, Executive Director and CEO of Canada Basketball. “We recognize that not only basketball, but all sports are growing in Canada and in order to evolve our position on the global stage, there must be an outlet where the nation’s leaders come together to discuss growth. We hope that the Canadian Basketball Congress will be one of many outlets that continue to grow sport in Canada.”
The Canadian Basketball Congress will act as a summit to bring together leaders in all roles responsible for building the game of basketball. Speakers have been recruited from all over the basketball world to deliver this message, highlighted by FIBA Secretary General, Patrick Baumann and Alberto Garcia, the Secretary General of FIBA Americas.
“The quality of speakers coming to the Congress confirms Canada’s importance on the national and global basketball stage. They recognize the potential that Canada can offer to basketball development and realize that bringing the country together is the ideal way to grow basketball in Canada,” Parrish added. “We are grateful for their involvement and eager to learn from them as they will bring a wealth of knowledge through their vast experiences.”
Patrick Baumann joined FIBA at the Munich headquarters in 1994, and was named Deputy Secretary General a year later. In 2003, he was appointed the position of Secretary General of FIBA with its new offices in Geneva, Switzerland, where he currently stands today. Over the years, Baumann has been heavily involved with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and is considered one of the most respected experts in the international sports community. He was recently named to the IOC’s Coordination Commission for the Olympic Games 2012 and is also an elected member of the IOC. Baumann will be integral in conveying the emergence of Canada on the world stage and what steps the country can take to be among the leaders in sport.
As the Secretary General of FIBA Americas, Alberto Garcia oversees the basketball operations of the three zones that make up FIBA Americas. Before heading the FIBA Americas zone, Garcia served as the FIBA instructor of referees and was a world-class official having been assigned to the World Championship for Men in 1982 and 1990. Garcia will be an essential part of the Congress, as his experience will offer strategic plans for better functionality of Canada Basketball.
The Canadian Basketball Congress begins in the evening of Thursday, May 26 through to Saturday, May 28 and will run in conjunction with Canada Basketball’s Annual General Meeting. The congress is devoted to bringing together the national basketball stakeholders to develop Canadian basketball and will tackle issues such as paradigm shifts in basketball delivery, involving new Canadians, basketball culture, system alignment and keeping young people in the game.
For more information about the 2011 Canadian Basketball Congress in Toronto, please visit www.basketball.ca.
