Karo Lelai, a name familiar in the PNG basketball arena has brought back a wealth of basketball knowledge from her recent trip to the US.
Lelai was one of the successful nominees from more than 100 applicants for the Global Sports Mentoring Program.
A bolstering move made by Ms. Lelai to maximize the standard of Women in Basketball to greater heights.
She made her presentation today at the American Corner, in the National Library, Port Moresby.
Karo Lelai is a very inspiring young leader in the basketball fraternity.
She is currently Vice President of the PNG Basketball Federation, and works alongside Nick Daroa, who is the president.
She visited some iconic Centre’s in the US, especially sporting facilities and institutions.
Her trip to US was spearheaded by the American Embassy through the Global Sports Mentoring Program. The program was named by the Public Diplomacy Council as one of the top 10 most influential diplomatic programs in the world. Lelai was the lucky one from the Oceania Region to attend.
Well–versed in basketball, Lelai now aims to have the Semi- professional Women’s National Basketball League Competition up and running alongside with the Men’s Basketball League.
Laurel Richie from the America’s Women’s National Basketball League was her mentor at the program.
Lelai spent an ample time with WNBA and has familiarized with some of the successful programs they have.
She now will be involving school girls and teachers in coaching clinics and increase participation of women and girls outside Port Moresby to take up the sport.
Lelai has noted Vision 2015 and Medium Term Development Strategy plan to emphases on the rights of girls as equal participants in the nation building.
Empowering women and girls through basketball was her concept paper theme and she will be working towards it to ensure it materializes.
She is optimistic to have a national women’s team at the international level.
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