MANILA -- Around 1,500 coaches from 105 cities all over the country are joining the Go for Gold National Coaches Convention organized by the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC).
Current Ateneo de Manila University and former Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tab Baldwin and former Australian national team head coach Rob Beveridge are the main speakers of the convention which will be held from March 22 to 24 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Veteran coach Nash Racela, leadership team coach Ardy Abello and Singapore Youth Sports Institute head Vincent Ong lead the field of instructors while Dr. George Canlas, along with his sports science team, will discuss proper hydration techniques during the convention, which is now on its eighth year.
"This is the first time that we are holding the coaches’ convention at the same time as the Chooks to Go NBTC National Finals. We usually hold the convention in October but for this year, we wanted the participants to watch the national finals as well," said Altamirano during a press conference at Capitol Commons in Pasig City on Monday afternoon.
"We came up with the convention because we believe that it's important to mentor the coaches," he added.
Altamirano said that the NBTC has tied up with the Department of Education (DepEd) so that teachers can also attend the three-day convention.
Also present were NBTC training director Alex Compton, Gold for Gold's Jeremy Go and Gatorade's Ton Gatmaitan.
Go said he is happy to support the country's biggest grassroots basketball program.
"We are happy to partner with NBTC to bring proper basketball knowledge throughout the country because we believe in grassroots development for athletes,” Go said.
“We need to start them young so they learn about responsibility and discipline at an early age, and coaches are the key to their development," he added.
Aside from basketball, Go’s company also supports cycling, sepak takraw, triathlon and skateboarding. (PNA)
