SIXTH MAN ON THE FLOOR AND FIRST MAN TO LOOK UP TO UNDER PRIMA’S BASKET

An interview with PRIMA International School's Head Basketball Coach - Mr Filip :-)

What was the key strategy to winning the latest international schools’ tournament?

We played with two centres under the basket the whole time. That’s how we got ‘em. The guys played well. Everybody stuck to their role and played it out to its fullest.

What qualities make a teammate and a good team?

Being unselfish and at the same time being able to take the initiative when you should. Each player should be able to take over the game at the right time. It is important for players to know each other’s limitations and abilities also.

How do you make practice fun?

Sometimes I give my players a lot of pep-talk to encourage them. I also use some strategies from street ball, where I make it fun by creating nicknames (positive of course!) and calling each other out on the court. In this way I’m building their confidence by toughening them up mentally on the court. In this way they strengthen their self-confidence which enables them to meet any opponent.

Who inspires you as a coach and who do you think inspires your players as athletes?

I think my athletes inspire each other, but they’re also inspired by NBA players. It’s the whole global basketball madness. All the teachers who have played basketball with our students inspire them. We are a unique school because teachers play with students. You don’t have that anywhere else.

For me, it’s Bobby Knight (Robert Montgomery Knight - ed.), a legendary coach of Indiana University; his nickname was “the General”. I like him because he was an emotional coach.

How does athletics make someone a better student?

It builds school spirit and it also creates teamwork, builds pride, relationships… It inspires people to share to be selfless.

Which words best describe you as a coach?

“Sixth man on the floor”

Anything else you would like to add?

We wanted to make a statement that we have a very talented group of students and we just wanted to be heard and seen. That’s it. We can pretty much beat any team that we come up against. We just have that confidence at this point.