The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) are happy to announce the launch of the FIBA PLUS Strategy and Planning Program in Zimbabwe. The FIBA PLUS Strategy and Planning program is one of the initiatives undertaken by FIBA, as part of its 2019-2023 long-term strategy, to "Empower National Federations" to reach their full potential.
The program, delivered by FIBA, is designed to assist National Federations in the development of basketball in their countries by helping them develop a sustainable strategic focus.
This initiative is a tailor-made program for Zimbabwe Basketball with the aim to put in place correct strategies for its specific needs to improve the federation's capacity to organize, professionalize and commercialise its basketball activities, ensuring the game's successful development in Zimbabwe.
Basketball Union of Zimbabwe President Joe Mujuru said: "We are incredibly excited and grateful to FIBA for this opportunity. We expect this program to mark a new chapter in our basketball journey. I am confident that this program will improve our administrative strategies and planning processes not only at national level but also at club, provincial and school structures."
After discussions with BUZ and its external stakeholders to better understand how the federation works, the environment in which it operates, and its goals, FIBA will first support BUZ to help complete its situation analysis. This analysis will provide information for the BUZ Board Members to consider when defining their future focus and developing their plan and provide necessary performance baselines and benchmarks which the Federation can use to measure its future growth and progress.
Throughout the FIBA PLUS Strategy and Planning Program, the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe will define goals, develop SMART objectives and detailed action plans for the next 18 to 24 months. FIBA will support the Federation along the way with strong mentoring, workshops and tailored assistance. A monitoring process will also be used to re-evaluate the BUZ strategy regularly to ensure it's still right for the needs of the Federation. All workshop sessions will be conducted via videoconference.
FIBA Executive Committee member and FIBA Africa President Anibal Manave, who also chairs FIBA's Working Group on National Federation Development, said: "With one of the main focus areas of FIBA for the cycle of 2019-2023 the development of National Federations, the FIBA PLUS Strategy and Planning Program will provide the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe with a high level of expertise, knowledge and practical guidance on each step of their strategic planning process. National Federations are the foundation of our sport and a key driver of development in each country and I look forward to seeing the progress of the BUZ in the near future."