National Performance Program
Developing Queensland's top basketball athletes to represent Australia
The top tier of the Basketball Queensland (BQ) elite development pathway, the National Performance Program ( NPP ) is a dedicated and intensive program for Queensland’s elite basketball athletes, providing development, training and support for athletes identified at the national & international level.
BQ, in conjunction with Basketball Australia’s (BA) Centre of Excellence (CoE), identifies Queensland’s elite junior basketball athletes for selection into the NPP each year. The aim is to identify international standard athletes & prepare them for selection into the Australian Under 17 and Under 19 Junior teams, or for a scholarship at the AIS as part of BA's CoE.
The BQ NPP is a decentralised program and operates in both South & North Queensland for identified athletes.
Training programs focus on individual physical skills, technical skills and tactical knowledge at the international level. Each NPP athlete receives individually customised training programs, with a team of dedicated coaching, sports science and other support staff through BQ and the Queensland Academy of Sport managing each player’s training, work and study commitments, to give athletes every chance of success.
Australian National teams operate internationally on three-year cycles and as such national identification is based upon athletes’ DOB as determined by the international competition calendar & for building to World Championships at U17 & U19 age levels.
The 2020 NPP is targeted at athletes born in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007.
Currently, this is U14, U16 & U17 BQ age eligible association teams and for athletes, meeting the stated National selection criteria.
Athletes must be Australian residents & eligible for or hold an Australian passport.
Athletes wishing to enter into the National Performance Program must provide an application. BQ and BA selectors will identify athletes from their applications who best fit the future Boomers and Opals characteristics.
Individual athletes’ physical attributes, commitment & elite athlete mindset, athletic talent and potential basketball talent all form part of the selection criteria.
Selected Players will have the potential to be identified for or have been identified for the following national teams or programs:
- Under 17 men’s and Under 17 women’s teams
- Under 19 Emus (men) and Under 19 Gems (women)
- CoE or NBA Global academy scholarship