The Net Blazers Basketball Club, in partnership with Titan Athletics of Canada, hosted its first-ever Basketball Coaches Clinic over the weekend of October 11–12, 2025, at the Vigie Multi-Purpose Sports Complex.

The two-day event, facilitated by Coach Gaelen Sydney of Titan Athletics, brought together 22 local coaches from across Saint Lucia for an immersive, hands-on experience aimed at enhancing grassroots coaching and promoting sustainable basketball development.

Focusing on fundamental movement, fun-based programming, and the social and developmental aspects of sport, the clinic encouraged active participation through skill-building demonstrations, group discussions, and problem-solving sessions.

Coach Sydney highlighted the importance of collaboration in building capacity at the community level.

“The main goals of the clinic were to certify and meet local coaches and extend the knowledge of fun-based programming within basketball,” he said. “The enthusiasm to do more on the island and get more coaches involved really stood out. This kind of collaboration is essential for developing both athletes and the wider community.”

Throughout the weekend, coaches exchanged training ideas, shared personal experiences, and explored strategies to overcome challenges in youth sport development. Participants described the sessions as transformative, emphasizing the importance of preparation, consistency, and keeping basketball enjoyable for young athletes.

“Proper preparation prevents poor performance,” one coach reflected, while another noted that keeping basketball “fun and game-oriented helps athletes stay motivated and excited to learn.”

Nikaela Khodra, Public Relations Officer of the Net Blazers Basketball Club, said the clinic aligns with the organization’s long-term mission to build local capacity and strengthen the foundation for basketball development in Saint Lucia.

“While expansion is a goal, we need trained, well-equipped coaches to make that possible,” Khodra explained. “Seeing coaches collaborate, share experiences, and exchange solutions was one of the most powerful outcomes of the two-day clinic. It reinforced the importance of teamwork not just for players, but for coaches as well.”

The Net Blazers’ ongoing community initiatives, including the Bringing Buckets Home program and the Laborie Expansion Project in partnership with the Laborie Credit Union, will benefit directly from the expertise and knowledge shared during the clinic.

Looking ahead, the Club expressed interest in future collaborations with Coach Sydney and Titan Athletics to continue supporting the professional growth of local coaches and the holistic development of athletes across the island.

“Basketball development goes far beyond competition,” Khodra added. “There’s a lot of work that happens off the court to ensure what happens on the court is successful, and that’s exactly what this clinic represents.”