In co-operation with the Asia Pacific Deaf Sports Confederation,
the Chinese Deaf Sports Federation and with economical contribution
from the FIBA, the CISS 10-12 December 2002 arranged the first
deaf basketball development seminar/coaches clinic ever. Conductor
was me the Technical Director in Basketball Kjell Gunnå
and my assistant Mr. Christian Boklund. Most probably this seminar/clinic
also was the first one ever arranged seen over all sports on the
CISS sports program.
Mr. Chou, Kuo-Tung, President of Asia Pacific Deaf Sports Confederation
helped me to plan and make contacts with necessary people in the
Chinese Deaf Sports Federation and the Beijing Sports University
in advance for booking lodging and gym for the seminar/clinic.
He also sent out the invitations to the seminar/clinic. I am very
grateful for his invaluable and creative help in arranging this
seminar/clinic. I also want to forward my deep gratitude to the
Chinese Deaf Sports Federation for their undertaking to locate
the seminar/clinic to Beijing, China.
The seminar/clinic took place in Beijing Sports University where
also all participants were accommodated. It attracted 19 people
whereof six hearing from six member-countries of the APDSC according
to the attached list of participants. The seminar/clinic was also
conducted quite in accordance with the attached program. To the
CISS management-group and Mr. Jan Berteling of the FIBA is also
an account of expenses for the seminar/clinic attached.
The accommodation was very good and fully met with the requirements
of the participants
The FIBA, through Mr. Jan Berteling, President of the FIBA Council
for Basketball for People with a Dysfunction, sponsored this seminar/clinic
by contribution with 75% of the expenses for the participants
flight-tickets and with 100% for the accommodation and other local
expenses. I would like to forward my deepest felt gratitude to
Mr. Jan Berteling and the FIBA for their contribution to the successful
outcome of the seminar/clinic. Without this economical contribution
I really doubt that this seminar/clinic would ever have been carried
through at all.
The aims and goals with the seminar/clinic were in the first hand
to offer deaf basketball coaches and leaders fundamental knowledge
of how lead a basketball group, to develop deaf basketball in
their home-countries and to give them self-confidence to approach
hearing basketball associations to seek co-operation and guidance
for their continued development.
During the training sessions everyday between 10.00 - 12.00 led
by my assistant Christian Boklund, a team consisted of 7-8 male
deaf players from a deaf school nearby helped us to show the seminar/clinic
participants how to plan and construct programs for training sessions.
Between 13.00 - about 18.00 everyday there were theoretical sessions
led by me. The lecture room was very well equipped with technical
facilities to ensure a good review of the seminar content and
smooth discussions.
On Thursday evening, 12 December, all participants visited a
basketball game in the China Basketball Association League, a
much appreciated break in the program.
The seminar/clinic was, according to the participants, a great
success which should comprise the aims and goals of the seminar/clinic
expressed above. I am sure in future we will see the participants
in leading roles of deaf basketball in their home-countries and
with fully developed contacts with the hearing basketball organisation
of their home-countries.
Regarding the hearing participants of this seminar the invitation
to this said clearly that only deaf participants were invited
to take part of it. However in Hong Kong case no one deaf person
could go to Beijing and Mr. Chong of Hong Kong showed a great
interest for deaf basketball so with interpreters he was allowed
to participate. He will now start up deaf basketball in Hong Kong.
As for the Chinese participants I was somewhat surprised that
they all were hearing. I had expected five deaf participants from
China. But I later understood from them that there were no deaf
basketball leaders at all in China and hopefully the five hearing
participants now try to start up and guide and lead deaf basketball
coaches and leaders for the future. I truly feel confident that
so will happen. They showed great interest of deaf sports and
deaf basketball in particular and had a correct attitude to deaf
people in general.
Special thanks to my wife Gull-Britt who were of great help to
me during the seminar/clinic in bringing order in the economical
transactions with the participants and for accounting of the trip.
Thanks to this I could concentrate on my work with the seminar/clinic.
Respectfully submitted,
Kjell Gunnå,
CISS-Technical Director in Basketball
