SIBUR, VTB United League and Zenit have launched the second season of the School of Basketball project.
Gas processing and petrochemicals group SIBUR, VTB United League and BC Zenit with the support of the Russian Basketball Federation (RBF) present the School of Basketball’s #SIBURCAMP and SIBUR-ZENIT.
Both projects are united by a desire to develop youth sports in the regions and emphasize the importance of teaching basketball IQ on the court as one of the foundations in preparing young athletes.
#SIBURCAMP’s aim is to demonstrate the important role of sports in a child’s healthy development. SIBUR-ZENIT strives to give young talents an opportunity to experience pro sports and try out for the Blue-White-Sky Blues’ youth squads.
This year, both projects will feature an all-day workshop for coaches led by Moscow State Academy of Physical Culture team sports department chair Anatoly Laptev and Zenit youth team head coach Mladen Manoilovic. The workshop will focus on developing strategies to improve youth sports.
Like a year ago, the #SIBURCAMP and SIBUR-ZENIT training camps will be preceded by qualifying stages held in seven Russian cities, where SIBUR has rebuilt basketball courts with the support of the NBA (Voronezh, Tolyatti, Tomsk, Nizhnevartovsk, Perm, Tobolsk and Dzerzhinsk).
Following #SIBURCAMP’s regional stage, 21 youth players (no older than 13) from seven cities will travel to Moscow from June 2-12 for the #SIBURCAMP, which will include practices with Russia’s top coaches using the latest methods.
The camp will feature basketball practices and games and general fitness, overseen by top young coaches under the direction of Anatoly Laptev.
The young athletes can look forward to a variety of practices, attending VTB United League playoff games, entertaining excursions, lectures and opportunities to meet famous sports figures and other celebrities.
The top 35 basketball players (14-16 years old) from SIBUR-ZENIT’s regional camps will be selected to attend a seven-day training camp in St. Petersburg in May under the direction of the BC Zenit coaching staff.
Activities will include practices with the Zenit’s youth team, meeting players and coaches on Zenit’s senior team and plenty of entertaining and education. The boys will get to see the club’s sports arenas as well as tour the city of St. Petersburg.
VTB United League president Sergey Kushchenko:
– Developing youth basketball is a major priority for the VTB United League. Youth sports are the foundation for both pro basketball and the younger generation’s healthy development. In launching the second season of the School of Basketball project together with SIBUR and BC Zenit and the support of the RBF, we’re confident that we’re moving in the right direction and this work will not go unnoticed.
SIBUR chairman board Dmitry Konov:
– SIBUR strives to take a comprehensive approach to supporting sports and a healthy lifestyle in the regions where the company is active: from rebuilding sports facilities and developing coaches to holding seasonal sports festivals and basketball camps with global stars. Within the framework of this joint project, we’re creating a foundation for improving on skills and attracting young athletes to play basketball.
Russian Basketball Federation president Andrei Kirilenko:
– The School of Basketball project is unique when it comes to promoting youth basketball in the regions, allowing boys from different cities in our country to take a step forward in their understanding of our beloved game. The project’s first season was a success and received only positive feedback and reviews. I’m confident the second season will meet with similar success.
FC Zenit general director Maxim Mitrofanov:
– The project’s first season attracted a lot of interest from young players across the country. We’re happy that there will be another chapter to this good beginning. There are a lot of talented young people in Russia, who haven’t been able to break through to big-time basketball for a variety of reasons. The School of Basketball project will give guys a real chance to show what they can do, practice with the best coaches and develop their professional skills.
Leningrad and St. Petersburg basketball have long traditions. Right now, Zenit together with SIBUR is continuing to write the history of basketball in our home city. The young, but very ambitious team has done itself proud in both the VTB United League and on the international stage. Finishing 3rd last season and ranking among the best this season only demonstrates the scale of our intentions. At the same time, Zenit is invested in having talented young players from St. Petersburg and other cities play for the team. In order for those guys to appear, a lot of hard work needs to be done. It’s vitally important to support and develop youth sports. Together with SIBUR, organizing the School of Basketball project is a great example of that type of work.
