The Finnish Association of Basketball Coaches (FABC) is organizing an international basketball coaches clinic in conjunction with the FIBA U20 Division A European Championships in Helsinki, Finland. The clinic dates are Saturday, July 21st through Sunday, July 24th and the location is the historical Töölö Sports Hall (Töölön Kisahalli), home of the 1952 Olympic Games basketball tournament.
The roster of performing guests is packed with high quality, experienced international coaches. Visiting Finland for the first time is Partizan Belgrade’s Alexandar Dzikic (SRB). Coach Dzikic has a wealth of international coaching experience and success, including a FIBA EuroCup 3rd place finish (Lietuvos Rytas, 2012), FIBA EuroChallege championship (KK Krka, 2011), four time Slovenian League championship (Olimpija Ljubljana 2008, KK Krka 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2014), and two years as an assistant with the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves (2005-2007). Currently he is the head coach of Partizan Belgrade of the Serbian league. In addition to his club team experience, coach Dzikic has also served as the head coach of Macedonian senior national team (2013-2015) and as head of Serbia’s U20 national team (2011-2012). Coach Dzikic is scheduled to do four clinic sessions.
Also performing at the clinic is another well-established international coach, Frankfurt Skyliners’ Gordon Herbert (CAN). Coach Herbert’s career highlights include a FIBA Europe Cup championship (Frankfurt, 2016) German Bundesliga coach of the year award (Frankfurt, 2016), Finnish Cup championship (Honka, 2009), assistant coach with the NBA’s Toronto Raptors (2008-2009), French Cup championship (Pau Orthez, 2007), French ProA coach of the year award (Paris Basket Racing, 2005), German Bundesliga championship (Frankfurt, 2004), and Austrian league coach of the year award (Oberwart Gunners, 2000). He has also coached in Euroleague with Greek team Aris BC (2007-2008). In national team competition, coach Herbert has coached Georgia’s senior national team (2005-2007) and Finland’s U18 national team (2010). Coach Herbert is scheduled for two clinic sessions.
Finishing the list of clinic lecturers are a pair of Finnish coaches, Pekka Salminen and Pieti Poikola. Coach Salminen is the man behind Finland’s national teams’ trademark pressure defense. He has been on the staff of Finland’s senior national team since 2001, during which Finland went from a B-level team in the early 2000s to a top 10 finisher in FIBA European Championships (2013 and 2015) and a FIBA World Cup participant (2014). In 2015, he was also named the head coach of Finland’s women’s national team. At the club level, Coach Salminen has won the Swedish league championship twice (Solna Vikings 2003, 2008), and a Finnish league championship (Kataja, 2015). Coach Salminen will be doing one clinic session.
Coach Poikola has also been making a name for himself internationally, as he has been the head coach of an up and rising Denmark’s senior national team since 2013. At the club level, coach Poikola has won the Finnish league championship three times with club team Tampereen Pyrintö (2010, 2011, 2014). He also received the Finnish league coach of the year award during those three championship seasons. He also has been the head coach of Finland’s U16 and U18 national teams (2010-2012). Next season, he will be the head coach of Finnish league team Kouvolan Kouvot. Coach Poikola will perform in one clinic session.
Clinic Schedule & Location
Thursday July 21st, 10:00-19:00, four clinic sessions
Friday July 22, 10:00-14:00 two clinic sessions and after sessions, watching U20 EC playoff games
Saturday July 23, 10:00-14:00 two clinic sessions and after sessions, watching U20 EC playoff games
Sunday July 24, 14:00 onwards -> watching U20 EC playoff games
The clinic sessions will be held in Töölö Sports Hall:
Paavo Nurmen kuja 1c 00250 Helsinki, Finland
The playoff round for the FIBA U20 Division A European Championships will be played in Helsinki Ice Hall, a 10 minute walk from the clinic site:
Nordenskiöldinkatu 11-13
00250 Helsinki, Finland
Clinic Pricing & Registration
The total price for the four day clinic is 229€ including eight (8) clinic sessions and game tickets for the playoff round of the last three days (July 22-July 24) of the FIBA U20 Division A European Championships.
Clinic registration can be done through FABC’s website:
http://fabcfinland.com/clinic-registration/
Payment and bank information for the FABC basketball coaching clinic 2016:
FABC’s International Bank Account Number, IBAN:
FI66 2290 1800 0302 67
SWIFT/BIC: NDEAFIHH
Cash payment at the door is also available.
Further Information
For further information and any questions regarding the clinic, please contact:
Mr. Masa Kaminen Project Manager Finnish Association of Basketball Coaches (FABC) www.fabcfinland.com Tel. +358404102285