AI Sports

Basketball Academy Opens on September 1 – Free Sessions Available!

admin — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 14:34:14 +0000

We’re excited to share that our new Basketball Academy is officially launching on September 1 at the Qatar Academy in Msheireb. To kick things off, we’re offering free sessions from September 1 to September 14, giving you a chance to experience our training programs without any cost.

Our official term kicks off on September 15, with three sessions per week designed to help you take your game to the next level. The monthly fee is QAR699, but we’ve got a special offer for those who commit to the full three-month term. If you pay for the entire term upfront, it will only be QAR1799 instead of QAR2100.

Discounts will also be offered when you tag along a sibling or a friend.

We can’t wait to welcome you to our academy and help you excel in basketball with our expert coaching and top-notch facilities.

Take advantage of our free introductory sessions and see first-hand what makes our academy unique. We look forward to having you join us and become a part of our growing basketball community!

Abdulrahim Abuissa on a passionate mission to nurture Qatar’s next generation of basketballers

admin — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 09:10:25 +0000

In line with Qatar’s vision of spotting and nurturing young talents and grassroots development of sports in the country, Qatari national basketball team player and Al Sadd shooting guard Abdulrahim Abuissa recently organized the first-ever basketball training camp for under 9-17 players in the country.

The eight-day intensive camp, held in partnership with the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF), was coordinated by John-Jerome “JJ” Outlaw, the assistant coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who has worked with many NBA greats, including Kobe Bryant.

Several of Qatar’s national teams and club coaches were also on the ground to impact knowledge to the enthusiastic participants.

“I grew up playing basketball as a Qatari, and I felt that there are not enough opportunities for kids. I feel they deserve more opportunities and exposure to the sport they love, hence my desire to organize a program like this,” the 21-year-old Abuissa said of his motivation to start the project.

The player who started his career as a 9-year-old noted that although there has been tremendous improvement in the game over the years in the country, basketball has still not really gained enough exposure among the kids, compared to some other sports, especially football. Hence, the need to bridge the gap and help out as much as possible.

“I want to give the kids the chance to experience high-level coaching, and that’s why we brought “JJ” from the NBA who has coached many great NBA players, including Kobe Bryant, alongside the local coaches. We believe that the local coaches, who are going to be with the kids all the time, we learn a lot from the experiences of the NBA coaches we brought, which will benefit the kids in the long run,” he said.

Abuissa added that his unwavering desire to see more youth take to the sport in Qatar was born out of his strong passion for giving back to society, considering the tremendous opportunities and privileges the game has given him over the years.

“Basketball has given me a lot, and I believe there is a need to give back to society. Basketball teaches you many things, including discipline, both on and off the court, networking opportunities etc. I’ve come to know a lot of people through the sport, and it has given me the privilege of traveling the world for free since I was a kid. I need to pass on some of the benefits I’ve enjoyed and help as many kids as possible to develop their talents.”

The camp, held at the QBF headquarters in Al Gharafa, attracted over 250 boys and girls with about 50 coaches on hand to take the participants through several routines for about five hours daily to further hone their skills.

Abuissa added that the positive feedback received from the program has further strengthened his resolve to take it a step further by opening an academy for the kids.

“We’ve had amazing responses and feedback from both the participants and their parents, and I think we need to consolidate on this by probably opening an academy for the kids considering the level of interest shown in the maiden edition of the camp. All the sessions were completely sold out, which indicates the enthusiasm and interest from the kids and their parents. I believe there is a need to have something permanent and continuous. Through the academy, we would continue to train the kids and expose them to top-level coaching and opportunities to improve their skills,” Abuissa, who is also a student at the Carnegie Mellon College in Qatar, added.

The Qatari player thanked QBF for their tremendous support and the opportunity to turn his vision into a reality.

A visibly impressed Outlaw, who was in Qatar for the first time, said he was surprised with the participants’ level of passion and enthusiasm.

” I’ve seen a great passion for learning in the kids here, which is similar to what was in the players I’ve coached in the past, including the NBA greats, and I am highly impressed.

Everyone here wants to learn and get better. While we cannot compare the talents level of the youth here at the camp to those in the NBA, the common bond is their desire to learn and improve their game and their passion for the sport itself. It is just as similar here in Qatar as in the USA.”

He added that the next generation of players who will hold the fort for the country in the future is likely to come out of the camp and other future programs organized to hone their skills further.

“Kobe Bryant is the best player I’ve ever worked with. His work ethic and determination to stay focused and keep improving is second to none. I see the same here. The work ethic is massive, and the passion is infectious. The game has a good history and very solid administrators here. I see a bright future for the game as they keep on building on what they already have. I am leaving Doha with fond memories, and I hope to be back soon,” Outlaw said.

For Naziha Alagha, one of the participating kids, she can’t wait enough for the next program on the organizers’ plan.

“This is one of the best things to happen to me as an aspiring female basketballer. The camp has helped me to improve and be a better player, and I would like to come again and again. I want to thank the organizers and the federation for putting this together,” the visibly elated player said.

The training camp was organized by AI Sports – an Abdulrahim Abuissa’s initiative, in partnership with the Qatar Basketball Federation.

Player wants to take basketball to newer heights in Qatar

admin — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 03:23:05 +0000

*Abdulrahim Abuissa organises camp in Qatar with assistant coach for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers JJ Outlaw

At just 22 years of age, Abdulrahim Abuissa has a vision to take the game of basketball to newer heights in Qatar.

Having studied in the United States, Abuissa has naturally developed a passion for the game at a very young age and took up the sport.
A shooting guard (one of the five traditional positions in basketball), Abuissa is the first Qatari to play in the NCAA Division 1, the highest level of college basketball in the United States.

Coach JJ Outlaw gives tips to children at the basketball camp.

He has also gone to represent Qatar and Al Sadd back home.
But just playing the game wasn’t enough for the youngster as Abuissa wants to grow the game in his home country.
Abuissa through his venture A I Sports, of which he is the Founder & CEO – has roped in assistant coach for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers JJ Outlaw to conduct a camp in Qatar.
Into his second year, the camp was held at the Qatar Basketball Federation from August 11 to 14 – with more than 50 boys and girls from the age group of 8 to 18 honing their skills.
“It’s never too early to start.

“I saw an opportunity and thought I should start this initiative. I grew up playing basketball here, so basketball to me has been a huge part of my life. My focus is to bring the basketball culture to Qatar and develop a passion for the game.
“In Qatar, football is very popular but I also want kids to play basketball,” Abuissa told Gulf Times Saturday.
“We had 11 coaches and around 50 participants – both boys and girls – from the age group of 8 to 18 participate in the camp. We also had players from clubs take part.
“We worked on offense, defense and a lot of ball skills. The kids also took part in 3×3 matches.
“I want to thank Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) for doing this and for allowing us to use their facility.
“I am excited with what I saw in the kids, they have a lot of passion for basketball.
They just need more opportunities and exposure,” he added.

The group sessions in the camp were focused on offensive fundamentals with a strong emphasis on perimeter footwork, ball handling, and shooting.
The drills and teaching points were the same used in NBA practice and personal workouts that coach Outlaw has conducted over the past 11 years in the NBA.
The idea of the camp is to tap the talent at the grassroots level and bring in basketball culture among the kids.
“The camps kind of help players find opportunities throughout the year. I think that’s very valuable.
“I really enjoy helping the grassroots here in Doha. I think that’s very important.
Kids need to be attached to the game at an early age. Kids need to be a part of the basketball culture, up to date all the time. So that’s really what we’re trying to do here,” says Abuissa.
Having witnessed the enthusiasm for the game from the budding hoopsters, Abuissa wants to organise more such camps in the country.
“This is just the beginning, I want to do more for basketball in Qatar. In the future, we are planning for more ventures with NBA personnel.
“Not just with coaching but also in relation to strength and conditioning,” he says.
Meanwhile, coach JJ Outlaw, who has worked with three different NBA teams and many NBA all-star players, said it was rewarding to come to Qatar and develop the game.
“It’s my second time here in Qatar. There is so much interest for the game of basketball at the grassroots level here. And so to have the opportunity to come and work with these young players is extremely rewarding for me, but it’s also a way of giving back to the game and spreading knowledge of the game.
“And that’s something that I’m all about,” he said. Outlaw is in his second year as an assistant coach at the Cavaliers.
He previously spent three seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, including the 2018-19 campaign as an assistant coach focused on player development.
Prior to that, Outlaw also worked for the Los Angeles Lakers.
“To see how much the game is growing in Qatar is extremely rewarding.
I also want to add that the coaches here are extremely knowledgeable and extremely experienced. A lot of them are former players themselves.
“And so for them to take the time out of their schedules and work with these players, I think it’s extremely beneficial for everybody,” Outlaw said.
“Just like with anything, you have to have a foundation. And so that’s really what we’ve been trying to create for the last two years.
“And then I would love to be able to bring NBA coaches and players, so that they can experience this wonderful place and the things that I’ve experienced in the last few years here,” the assistant coach at Cavaliers said.