The National Academy of Athletics is exceptionally proud to be supporting After School Hoops in Zimbabwe.

AFTER SCHOOL HOOPS is a nonprofit organization that uses a structured school system to work with youth in Makoni Rusape to Mutare. Their program aims to develop basketball skills, life skills and teach youth to give back to the community. Similar to the National Academy of Athletics, they believe the power of youth sports can help children learn essential life lessons, make informed decisions, and become better, healthier adults.

AFTER SCHOOL HOOPS reached out to the NAofA through Facebook, seeking to expand their coaches’ training development. They are particularly drawn to the NAofA’s Talk.Teach.Play.® trademarked teaching method. Looking to expand their sports to offer alternatives to basketball, they felt a consistent approach to teaching children regardless of the sport is what they needed to train their coaching staff so that their coaches would feel confident teaching a sport that they never had themselves played.

Aaron Locks, founder and CEO of the National Academy of Athletics, was very impressed with AFTER SCHOOL HOOPS efforts and with how many children had already benefited from their program. The NAofA is on a mission to bring their youth sports programs to children throughout the nation- why not Zimbabwe?

“I am so excited to share my Talk.Teach.Play.® coaching method and Coaches Best Friend training materials with the coaches in Zimbabwe. I believe that there is no better life-skill teaching tool than youth sports and for us to be a part of helping children on such a large scale feels incredible,” stated Locks.

The National Academy of Athletics was thrilled to provide AFTER SCHOOL HOOPS with Coaches Best Friend Basketball, Soccer, and Volleyball additions. These coach training manuals are written by Aaron Locks and are in their second addition. They are provided to volunteer coaches to assure children get the most incredible experience when joining a sports league. Volunteer coaches often know some of the rules, but these books ensure they understand the importance of truly what it means to be a coach and role model to children. A coach’s job is to make sure that kids are having fun as they learn how to play a sport while allowing children to learn essential life lessons like teamwork, perseverance, leadership, and responsibility. If children have fun, they will stick with a sport and continue enjoying a healthy lifestyle throughout adulthood.

“Aaron, we really appreciate what you have done for us. You have exceeded our expectations and do not know if you realize how many lives you are changing. Thank you and God bless.” David Mlambo, the organisation’s founder, head coach and peer educator.

The NAofA provides Youth Sports Programs throughout California and is expanding throughout the United States with recent operations opening in Massachusetts, Atlanta, and Nevada. Both organizations have goals to reach as many kids as possible. With childhood obesity and depression on the rise, it is vitally essential that these organizations exist.

See the After School Hoops Facebook page for additional info: https://www.facebook.com/afterschoolhoopszimbabwe/