NSR Australia & NZ was excited to have the support of Melbourne United at the recent Basketball Victoria Trials, just this past Tuesday.
Melbourne United shared an article to sum up the event:
“Melbourne United coaches and players were on hand to view assess than 300 young ballers last night at NSR Australia’s latest trial.
NSR Australia works with over 2,500 colleges and universities across in the USA providing opportunities for Australian student athletes in years 8 – 12 onwards to pursue their sport while continuing their education overseas.
Melbourne United Assistant Coach Mike Kelly and players Daniel Kickert and David Barlow attended the latest Victorian trial to offer their experience and knowledge to the participants.
“Programs such as NSR are invaluable for kids these days. There is such a flood of kids trying to make their mark in basketball here in Australia and make their way over to college in America. Programs such as this can help identify them, provide them with the pathways and opportunities and help them improve and gain experience,” Kickert said.
Kickert himself attend Saint Mary’s College in California and was able to offer some valuable advice to the young hopefuls.
“My best advice is stick with it, show up to things like this, keep working on their game. Take every opportunity that comes up, jump at it with everything, put both feet in and see how far you can go.”
And for the parents? “Be patient and give a lot of positive reinforcement. Help your kids enjoy it so they stick with it. If there’s too much pressure they stop wanting to do it. There’s a lot of sacrifice and commitment but it can really pay for off for kids which talent and passion.”
Matt Wade from NSR Australia said the number of kids who had gone through their pathway program to attend a US College had grown substantially in just two years.
“When we started in Australia in 2014 we had 8 kids go to College to play basketball, the next year it was 40 kids and this year we have had 85 kids.”
“We work with kids of all different ages and abilities to help them have the chance to pursue their passion and play basketball in America following their high school years. They can study the degree of their choice and ultimately enrich their life. It will further their education and develop the individual through giving them an awesome life experience,” he said.
“Tonight is about a basic assessment. There are a few stages in the process that allow us to learn a little bit more about the individual, more than what we can just see from them from a basketball perspective.’
“From the trial process, once an athlete is successful from this aspect we will sit down with the family and the child and find out a little more about them as a person, what their ambitions are. This allows us further assess if they are the right fit for our program and we are the right fit for them.”
Melbourne United Assistant Coach Mike Kelly said the fundamentals were the key thing when looking at young basketballers, however even something as simple as listening was also important.
“Tonight half the kids listened and half the kids didn’t until the point was made to them. Then of course there is athleticism, being able to shoot the ball, handling the ball, passing the ball, the key fundamental skills,” he said.
“College basketball is a great experience and also fun. In life it can be a different experience for them to have.”
“Basketball wise though whether it’s here training with a SEABL Club or training there with a College, I think the fundamental skills that are taught are taught well. Being in a ‘system’ can help them get into a routine and a regime where its taught every day, so the repetition helps prepare kids for whatever level they’re going to finish up at.”
“If they don’t get a scholarship to College or make it as a basketball player they may still like the College experience as a person. Basketball wise there are numerous opportunities for kids here in Australia to grow as a player – youth league, SEABL, Big V and so on. If they want to get better, they will get better.”