FIBA development officer to attend PNG Games

By ISAAC LIRI
FIBA Oceania’s development manager Annie La Fleur will be attending the 7th PNG Games in Kimbe, West New Britain, to conduct a two-day basketball refresher course.
The course will be focused on match referees and will be held next week.
La Fluer, who is part Gulf but spent most of her life in Australia, is also a former Australian basketball representative in the 2000 Summer Olympics. Her involvement in the Games is a first and comes through the Basketball Federation of Papua New Guinea’s contribution to the code and the games in general.
“The refresher course or workshop is to make sure all participating officials are up to date on rules, signals and mechanics,” La Fleur said.
“We have time together before the tournament begins to familiarise ourselves with each other.
“The officials are a team on the court so we need to work well together to ensure the game runs smoothly.
“The focus is for the refs to know all the rules first of all, know the right signals, know court positioning and rotations.”
The 48-year-old, who was inducted to the New South Wales hall of fame for being a member of the first Australian basketball team to win a world championship medal for Australia, will travel to Kimbe for the first time.
“It is going to be my first trip to Kimbe and I am excited and looking forward as well,” she said.
“I hope it would be fun out there meeting the basketballers and their coaches.”
La Fleur, who spent her childhood days in Hohola in Port Moresby before moving to Australia, is always keen on helping develop basketball in Papua New Guinea which would help individuals realise their talents.