TEYBL: Bhutan Basketball Federation (BBF) will organise Thimphu Elite Youth Basketball League (TEYBL) from mid-August.

TEYBL is a grassroots developmental initiative of the federation to promote basketball in the country and to encourage youth participation in the sport.

BBF’s general secretary said that TEYBL is a pilot programme and if the plan works well, the federation will expand the league to other dzongkhags.

The federation has approached eight schools in Thimphu – Yangchenphu HSS, Kelki HSS, Motithang HSS, Pelkhil HSS, Nima HSS, Rinchen HSS, Lungtenzampa MSS and School for Language and Cultural Studies – for the tournament.

Kinley Phuntsho Namgyel of Yangchenphu HSS said that opportunities like this will definitely help basketball grow in the country. “Youth basketball competitions are rarely organised these days. Most of the unharnessed talents lie in schools that the federations forget to tap for the overall development of games in the country,” he said.

In not so dissimilar vein, Ugyen Choden Tshering of Motithang HSS, said that healthy competition between schools would not only promote social bonding among students, but also it will help improve the quality of sports in the country.

Said Ugyen Choden Tshering: “For any sport to prosper in the future, it needs to have a strong foundation. Tournaments such as this will help groom young talents.”

The tournament will be held on weekends at the outdoor basketball court near Changlimithang stadium.

The federation is planning to make the tournament friendly and family affair where parents can come and watch their kids play.

Younten Tshedup 

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