Takeaways from the National Performance Camp in Canberra

A view from the ground level on prospects that stood out at the AIS event, with honourable mentions.

Centre of Excellence @BACentreofExcel

That’s a wrap, the @BasketballAus NPC in the 📖 for another year. Great to access the elite @theAIS facilities

Last week, some of Australia’s best 2006 and 2007 born talent made their way to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) for a three day National Performance Camp.

I was there to watch the boys side of the camp. Here’s some of my takeaways from the event.

The Centre of Excellence coaching remains top class post Adam Caporn’s departure

With such an impressive cast of alumni over the last half a decade under the guidance of former head coach Adam Caporn, his loss to the NBA coaching ranks is undoubtedly missed. However, with Marty Clarke a constant as the NBA Global Academy technical director, and current head coach Robbie McKinlay having stepped in to the role, there should be no questions that the Centre of Excellence is still one of the world’s best environments to develop young talent.

Robbie McKinlay, Ash Arnott and the rest of the coaching staff present at the camp fastidiously drilled our brightest talent on the minutiae of all their skill work, whilst focusing on the core values that make our national team programs so strong. Coach McKinlay would constantly remind players of the standards required to compete against the world’s best in international competition, stopping players to ask the question of whether their effort and execution would fly against the likes of the US, Spain or Croatia.

Whilst realistically there may only have been one or two future Australian Boomers throughout the group, each and every camper undoubtedly benefited from the standard of competition and exposure to life and training at the CoE.