Youth Development

Tuesday, 14 September 2010 12:26 | Last Updated on Monday, 25 July 2011 20:37 |

This page is meant for information exchange about youth development in Europe.
NOWBs, clubs and players are requested to supply the IWBF Europe office with content which which is interested for other NOWBs and or clubs/players.
IWBF Europe will then add this content on the Youth development page.

Malle 2011

Report by Louise Forell (SWE)

I think it was really fun to participate in. Even though our games weren’t very even, it was good for us to be able to bring a couple of new players with us and get the “team spirit” up. It was also a great opportunity for some players that don’t get much responsibility and /or many minutes on the court in their own teams at home, to “bloom”. Playing against Israel/Palestine was cool!

No complaints regarding the accommodation, the Vormingscentrum was nice and easy to get around in. It was nice to live and play under the same roof, and not having to worry about trouble with transportation.

The only thing we Swedes missed a little bit was cooked meals. Maybe that’s a cultural difference, but we all really missed “real food”.

Report by Francesco Roncari n° 14 - ITALIA

This tournament that was held in Malle from the 07 to the 10 of July. It was an event that has helped to strengthen the friendship between athletes from different teams, and also helped us to realize that in this sport, you can be entertained without having to win a prize as in the official competitions.

Everything has been possible with the expert professionalism of the organization that has been able to accommodate the requests of all staffs and athletes with a kind availability but also thanks to the well-equipped sports hall available for matches.Obviously, when you leave your loved country, is very difficult to adapt yourself in a different culture and life style, but I must say that this has been made less difficult by the great organization of the LOC.

In addition, speaking as an athlete, I was very happy to have all I need at my fingertips, in fact, we didn’t have to travel by bus to go to the sport hall or for have lunch. It was a great experience also because I met a lot of very nice and friendly guys who liked to play basketball but also to have fun together also if we speak totally different languages.

Perhaps, if I want to be picky, the only thing I could complain, is the timetable for meals, in my opinion, too much close to the matches, and for an athlete a little bit difficult to manage. But we’re international level athletes and we need to be able to control it!

In the complex it was a very constructive experience for me and all my mates, and I hope that in the near future we can repeat similar events that will undoubtedly create a great relationship between all participants!

Thanks

Report by Ahmad Wajeh Al-atrash - Palestinian\Israeli Team

Our Journey started from LifeGate (in Bethlehem), on the 6th of July 2011, at 6:00pm. We arrived to Ben-Gurion airport, as this was my first time traveling to an airport, as well this is an unique experience, as we as Palestinian are usually not allowed to travel through Ben-Gurion. In the airport we waited for the Israeli group, and then started our security search and boarding. Being in the air-craft was a great experience. We arrived to Belgium, we started the joyful journey of great views of green lands, and lovely adorable buildings.

I enjoyed so much this unique event, and gathering with the other teams. The games were so challenging, because they were the first for me, and for my Palestinian team, we usually gathered with the Israeli team, mingle then divide the whole group into two groups and play games. I enjoyed so much playing with Netherland, it was the only game we won, and I enjoyed so much playing with Germany, therefore it was a great challenging game, which we lost.
My joy was as well in the field trips that our team leaders coordinate for us, in Malle, Antwerp and Brussels. I was fascinated by these tours.

I wished if there were more ways of communication with the other individuals of the other teams, such as other games than basketball, and games for introducing each other, as to know more about the other teams and the other cultures. Maybe the language was a barrier as well in communication. But I loved the last activity- dancing party- I’ve learned new skills, new moves that I can do on my wheelchair, dancing with others as well brought me Joy.
I would love if in the next times we would have more full schedule, fulfill with games and activities.The accommodation in Malle was good, but I missed so much the cooked food, maybe it’s a cultural thing, but we are used to eat more cooked meals, than sandwiches.
And finally I would like to say that I enjoyed this even and trip so much, and would be happy and appreciate another chance of being with this group and event, as to get to know players and teams of other countries, as to gain new experience and skills. As well to get to know more about other countries. And this trip gave me a great push to be more independent. I want to grab this opportunity to thank Lifegate and Perce Center, for giving us this opportunity to be in this event in Belgium. And I would never forget to thank my coaches Jad Elzughbi and Odeh Rizqalla for all the effort they did, and for accompanying us.

رحلتنا ابتدءت من انطلاقنا من باب مؤسسة اللايف جيت بتاريخ 6/7/2011 الساعة السادسة مساءا حيث وصلنا الي مطار بن جريون، وهذه كانت اول مرة انطلق بها الى مطار، وكما ايضا انها لفرصة فريدة من نوعها حيث لنا الفلسطينين لا نستطيع السفر عن طريق مطار بن جريون، انتظرنا بالمطار المجموعة الاسرائيلية ومن ثم ذهبنا الي التفتيش، وبعدها الي الطائرة والتي كانت بحد ذاتها خبرة رائعة. وصلنا الي بلجيكا وبدئت معها متعة الانظار الخلابة للمساحات الخضراء والبنايات الجميلة.

استمتعت كثيرا في هذا الاجتماع الرائع مع الفرق الاخرى، وكانت المباريات تحديا كبيرا لانها كانت الاولى بالنسبة لي ضد فرق اخرى، حيث بالعادة كنا نجتمع نحن والفريق الاسرائلي، ننخلط ونقسم بعضا الى مجموعتين ونلعب سويا. استمتعت كثيرا بالمبارة ضد هولندا والتي فزنا بها، وكما ايضا كانت المبارة ضد المانيا رائعة جدا لانها كانت قوية.

كانت متعتي ايضا بالتنسيق الذي عمله لنا مدربينا، بالتنسيق الى الذهاب برحلات ميدانية الى مالي، انتفرب و بروكسل. انذهلنا كثيرا بهذه الجولات السياحية.

كنت اتمنى لو كان هناك تواصل اكبر مع افراد الفرق الاخرى، مثلا العاب اخرى او مشاركات بالتعارف على الفرق الاخرى وعلى الثقافات الاخرى! فقد كانت اللغة نوعا ما حاجزا بيننا. ولكن سررت جدا بالنشاط الاخير الراقص، حيث تعلمت حركات جديدة بالرقص بالكرسي. وكما اتمنى لو ان يكون الجدول في المرات القادمة مليء اكثر بالنشاطات والمباريات!

مكان الاقامة بمالي كان جيدا، ولكني اشتقت كثيرا للطعام المطبوخ، يمكن لهذا ان يكون من حضارتنا وثقافتنا!

في النهاية أقول انني سررت بالرحلة و اتمني ان تعدا مرة اخري لانها تعطينا الفرص للتعرف على فرق ولاعبين اخرين واكتساب خبرات و مهارات أخرى

و ايضا نتعرف على البلاد الجميلة ايضا ساعدتنا على ان نحصل على فرص بالاعتماد على انفسنا اكثر من اي وقت مضي

اود ان انشكر مؤسسة اللايف جيت التي اتاحت لنا هذه الفرصة بالتعاون مع مركز بيريز للسلام بالمشاركة بهذه الاحداث خارج البلاد و ايضا لا انسي مدربي جاد الزغبي و عودة رزق الله على تعاملهم معنا و مرافقتهم لنا .

احمد وجيه الاطرش –قرية الولجة – بيت لحم - فريق الفلسطيني/الاسرائيلي

Report Mirko Altman - team Germany

Bericht int. Jugendturnier Malle 2011

Die Unterkunft in Malle war sehr schön. Die Zimmer waren groß genug für uns Rollstuhlfahrer und sauber. Auch die sanitären Anlagen waren sauber und groß genug, so dass man dort als Rollstuhlfahrer gut zurechtkommen konnte.
Das schöne war, dass die Sporthalle lange auf war und dass alles in einem Haus war. So konnte man sich abends nochmal mit den anderen Teams zum Basketball spielen treffen. Mit den anderen Teams haben wir uns sehr gut verstanden und hatten immer viel Spaß.
Cool war auch, dass man an einem Computer ins Internet konnte.
Das Essen fand ich – und viele andere auch – nicht gut. Wir kennen aber auch dieses Brot bei uns in Deutschland nicht. Das Büffet am Samstag war schlecht, da darauf nur kalte Sachen zu finden waren, die uns nicht schmeckten, und nichts so für uns junge Leute wie etwa Spaghetti , Pizza oder Pommes.
Aber sonst war das Turnier sehr schön. Im Team haben wir uns alle gut verstanden. Von der Organisation war das auch sehr gut, so dass man immer genug Zeit zum Aufwärmen und zwischen den Spielen hatte.
Alle waren sehr nett und immer gut drauf. Vielen Dank an das Organisationsteam in Malle.

Report of international youth tournament Malle 2011

The accommodation in Malle was very nice. All rooms are big enough for wheel chair drivers and clean. Also all the sanitary installations and restrooms were clean and really perfect to get along for wheelchair drivers.
It was great that the sports hall was opened so late in the evening and that it is located in the same building complex. So you could meet in the evening for another free basketball play and check out with the other teams. We had a good hit off with the other teams and we had a lot of fun together.
It was also cool that there were computers with free use of the internet.
The food was not my favorite. Especially the bread was quite different in taste to the German bread. The cold buffet was also not my favorite because we young people do like much more food like spaghetti, pizza or French fries.
But in total it was a great tournament because we had a good team spirit and met so many new friends. Also the organization was perfect, there was a good time schedule for the matches and it was always enough time for the warm-up practices and also the breaks for the team were big enough to recover.
All the people were very friendly and groovy.
Thanks to all of the Malle-Organisation Team!