Dr Sergio Lara-Bercial of ICCE and Leeds Beckett University has teamed up with the International Basketball Foundation (FIBA) to help children keep active at home during lockdown.

Dr Lara-Bercial is creating a series of Basketball At Home videos, to inspire families to learn new skills all within the boundaries of their own homes.

He explained:

“At a time when children are enjoying limited time outside and no physical interaction with their friends, it is so important we find ways to engage them in play at home.

Play is a great motivator for learning as well as a great way to promote the development of physical, cognitive and social skills.”

The videos are a collaboration between FIBA and iCoachKids – an Erasmus+ co-funded project, led by Dr Lara-Bercial and the International Council for Coaching Excellence.

Around 40 videos are planned and the first nine are now available on FIBA’s YouTube channel.

Dr Lara-Bercial said:

“These videos try to encourage the whole family to play some fun games using minimal equipment that most people will have at home. We are delighted to support FIBA and to bring basketball and physical activity into people’s houses.”

To encourage children to get involved, the team are also giving away Molten Basketballs to anyone who shares photos or videos of their children doing the activities or inventing new games. To enter, post on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #BasketballAtHome and tag @BasketballForGood or send a photo or video to [email protected]

iCoachKids launched its website in 2017 and a series of free online courses in 2018, designed to support and guarantee access to high quality coach education for all youth sport coaches across the world.

Dr Lara-Bercial also leads Coachforce21, an Erasmus+ Sport funded project to develop practical tools to promote and build the recognition, representation and status of sport coaching as a profession.