Given quality support from the Bhutan Basketball Federation, this is an initiative that could well take off among the middle and higher secondary schools in Thimphu if academic schedules are taken into consideration.
14 August 2012 Women’s National Team: Despite being a popular sport among youth, Bhutan still does not have a women’s national basketball team. But with the Bhutan basketball federation planning on recruiting international female basketball coaches, the country might be on its way to form a national team.
“We’re now emphasising more on participation from female players, by forming leagues or clubs, which is going to happen some time next month,” the federation’s general secretary Tokey Dorji said.
To register for a club, he said, it is mandatory to have a minimum of 15 people, comprising 12 players and a manager, a coach and an assistant coach each. “Once the clubs are formed, we’ll try to train all members as per the international standards and, on this ground, the clubs have to promote themselves.”
If there are four to five women clubs, then the federation can organise a league. “We’re hoping to form the first women’s basketball league by the end of this year,” he said. “The nominal fee to form a club could range from Nu 5,000 to Nu 10,000 but it’s yet to be finalised.”
Officials said most women, who are interested in the sport, are in schools, and that they usually didn’t pursue their interest after school or college days.
Tshoki, 23, who played basketball for eight years, left her wish to pursue a career in the sport for a different job. “I lost interest during high school, after knowing that there’s no scope of becoming a professional basketball player in the country,” she said.
By Thinley Zangmo