Wring the 'rags' for funds - Broomfield

Jamaica Basketball Association (JABA) president Dr Mark Broomfield is asking investors in the sport to wring the rag a little drier as the body seeks to come up with funding for all three of its priorities this year.

This includes the National Basketball League (NBL), which JABA hopes to resume in November; its Star Search programme, and sending the Senior Women's and Under 17 Men's teams overseas for regional competition.

JABA had run into difficulties when the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) said it could not provide funding for all the needs of the association and had to prioritise its allocation of funds.

"We understand that the SDF cannot fund all the programmes under the association," Broomfield said.

"What we're asking for is a second look. You know, to see if it can wring the rag a little harder to see what can fall out of it to see if any assistance can be given to the national teams going away."

Relatively successful

Broomfield said the last two regional tournaments these national teams took part in, saw them returning relatively successful, as the senior women's team placed second in the Caribbean Championships in 2015, while the under 17 males finished 3rd in their competition.

Broomfield said it would be what he calls a "waste of resources" not to build on that achievement this year.

He said that the association has been looking at other methods of sourcing funds, some which connects with a younger audience, more in tune with technology, but he admitted that more

"We have been looking overseas in places like Canada and the United States and we have written to various companies looking for support. We have a GoFundMe page that is up, as well for the U17 team, and we're trying to look at those options that we have been using to raise funds and maybe we have to go back to the past and go to stoplights and beg for donations."