Allison Bastien and Alicia Joseph have been selected by the National Basketball Federation of T&T (NBFTT) in April to represent T&T at an International Basketball Federation (FIBA) initiative women's project dubbed “Adelante”- a programme for women in basketball.
The duo will participate in the two-year programme which is designed to identify, develop and unleash the next generation of female leaders in the Americas.
Bastien, who is presently the General Secretary of the T&T Schools’ Basketball Association (T&TSBA) and the organization’s North Zone executive committee was delegated by the NBFTT to take lead.
Her portfolio entails creating and developing a programme locally to further promote activities for women in the sport.
Joseph is the vice president and founder of the local non-profit organization Female Basketball Action (FEM.BA) which operates a women basketball.
The organization’s mission is to change, grow, develop and provide opportunities for the younger and older female basketball players in T&T and has been providing a sole platform for female competition annually since 2016.
Joseph,a former national player, was granted the opportunity to be a part of the Adelante webinar series, and will also make up the steering committee assembled by Bastien to execute a national project with the empowerment of women and girls at its core.
The two-year curriculum comprises of weekly educational online sessions featuring international key-note speakers during its first year of engagement.
Year two consists of an in-person gathering during the summer of 2021 in Miami and a culminating meeting at the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.
"I am indeed grateful to be chosen as a candidate for this Adelante programme. I am completely mindful that this open door will furnish me with the necessary information, skills and direction expected to plan and execute projects to expand female participation as players, coaches, and officials in the game of basketball," Bastien expressed.
The online platforms highlighted mentorship and direct interaction between all candidates and highly distinguished women such as New Zealand’s First Female Prime Minister - Jenny Shipley, NBA’s Dallas Mavericks CEO – Cynthia Marshall, Senior Vice-President of Marketing ESPN – Laura Gentile and several other prominent women in sport and leadership positions.
In collaboration with the NBFTT, Bastien aims to create a sustainable national female league and to design programmes to boost development at all levels; primary schools, secondary schools, community, senior and elite.