‘That is the ultimate goal’: Bandits ready to inspire local youth basketball players through latest community partnership
By: Grant Vassos • October 24, 2020
Three months removed from a remarkable turnaround that saw Fraser Valley jump from last place a season ago, to runners-up in this year's CEBL Summer Series Championship, the Bandits are now hoping to translate some of that excitement back into their community.
Basketball BC announced the Bandits as the official naming rights partner of the organization's youth basketball league(s), club championships, and 3x3 basketball development initiatives in an Oct. 8 news release.
The provincial sporting organization is also re-naming its under-12 and under-13 boys and girls basketball leagues – formerly known as the Metro League – to the Bandits Youth Basketball League (BYBL).
Connor Ranspot, the Manager of Youth Programs & Special Events for Basketball BC, is looking forward to having current and former Bandits coaches and players present at these programs in the future.
"Being able to show the kids that there is a local, professional option both as a team where the Bandits are and also we can say: look, here are professional players that actually grew up in BC, played in BC, came up in this system and have now gotten to the point where they are now professional players,” Ranspot said.
"Being able to see it and see it close to home, I think goes a long way with the kids in terms of inspiring them for the future.”
Ranspot joined Basketball BC last January and connected with the Bandits this past spring after the team showed interest in collaborating with the organization on potential youth basketball grassroots programs.
Among those programs will be the new addition of future 3x3 basketball tournaments. 3x3 is a smaller, fast-paced adaptation of the traditional 5-on-5 basketball format with 10-minute games and a 12-second shot clock. Teams also play with one hoop in a half-court setting and are allowed to have three players on the court and a bench player to substitute.
Much like what rugby sevens is to rugby, and futsal is to soccer, Ranspot says these types of short, small-sided games are where the sports world, especially for youth, appears to be moving towards. 3x3 basketball is considered the fastest growing urban team sport, according to FIBA 3x3.
"It's great from a youth development perspective because it gives (kids) more touches on the ball. It's way less likely that there will be one kid on the court that doesn't get to see the ball a lot or doesn't get to be super involved," Ranspot said.
"And then from an event perspective, three-on-three tournaments can really be a fun, festival style and cultural event, which is what we are hoping to establish."
Although Ranspot hopes this announcement will be the latest step in generating some buzz for both the Bandits and Basketball BC in the eyes of basketball communities across Canada, inspiring the next generation of young basketball players becomes the next challenge.
"That is the ultimate goal: to create more and better pathways for youth basketball in BC,” Ranspot said.
Scheduling and organizing leagues and tournaments has grown increasingly uncertain due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the uncertainty, Ranspot said that the Bandits and Basketball BC are actively working to define future 3x3 tournaments in greater detail and to plan proper procedures and health guidelines for the Bandits Youth Basketball League (BYBL) and Basketball BC Club Championships.
Basketball BC hopes to host its provincial club championships early next spring or next summer.
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