This past November, Pinnacle Hoops International teamed up with Saigon-born Coach Ha Tran to organize our third international trip. Working with local coordinator Ho Vu, our staff conducted 10 basketball clinics in 10 days!
Our first two stops on the trip were Quang Tri, a small province in the North Central Coast region of Vietnam, and Phong Dien, a remote village outside the city of Hue. Children in Quang Tri and Phong Dien have little access to organized sports or sports equipment, so we were thrilled to host several free basketball clinics for over 200 youth players in these areas. Each player who participated in a clinic received a basketball, t-shirt, snack, and access to personal hygiene products. Incredibly, at the conclusion of our clinics in Quang Tri, the Youth Center Director Bui Huu Hieu established the first ever basketball club in the province – the QT Tigers – to continue offering basketball training and mentorship opportunities to local players after our departure.
Our trip concluded in Hue, a picturesque city in central Vietnam. There, we partnered with NYX Basketball, whose mission is to provide high-level basketball training to youth players in Hue. Just as severe rain hit the region, we finished off our trip's final clinics at an indoor facility. The kids in Hue were enamored with basketball and were so excited to train with our coaching staff! Their work ethic was incredible, and they approached each drill with a smile.
Our Pinnacle Hoops International coaches had an absolute blast meeting and working with nearly 300 youth players all over Vietnam. While the clinics emphasized basketball skills like ball-handling, shooting technique, and passing, we also focused on developing important life skills like leadership, communication, and teamwork. We look forward to staying in touch with the players in Quang Tri, Phong Dien, and Hue and seeing their continued personal growth through the sport of basketball.
