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Junior players from Uralkali’s basketball project took part in the local stage of the Russian Championship
10.11.2015
Participants from Uralkali’s project for the development of basketball as a popular sport took part in the local stage of the Russian Basketball Championship in Perm from 3rd to 8th November. Twelve sportsmen, all of whom are aged 14 and attend basketball centres opened as part of the Company’s project in Berezniki and Solikamsk, participated in the competition.
The players represented the “Kali-Basket” basketball club and played five games against teams from Naberezhnye Chelny, Perm, Kirov and Yelabuga. The team finished a respectable third in the competition.
Mikhail Presnyakov, head coach and project manager for the development of children’s basketball as a popular sport for children and teenagers in Berezniki and Solikamsk, commented:
Participating in competitions is one of the most essential elements of training. To improve the skills of the project participants, it is crucial to take part in competitions of different levels and to play against various teams. Every trip is a strong incentive for the boys as only the best players can go. Our aim is to present basketball as a popular and affordable sport, and to also encourage a healthy lifestyle. The project aims to attract the maximum number of children and teenagers and give them an opportunity to communicate with each other and get additional physical exercise.
Notes to Editors:
Uralkali aims to promote basketball as a popular sport among young people in Berezniki and Solikamsk. The project was launched in March 2013. At present, around 1,500 athletes aged between 5 and 15 are training at 28 basketball classes opened within walking distance in Solikamsk and Bereznikiat. The project has attracted four coaches from Serbia and three Russian specialists of the highest category who have been working in leading basketball clubs in Russia. Uralkali provided financing for purchasing 2,000 sets of training uniforms and sports equipment, and for restoring 10 school gyms. As part of the Company’s project, Uralkali annually holds unique on Russian scale competitions “Kali-Basket Junior” School Basketball League for students of the second to fourth grades. Competitions “The New Year Rush”, “First Steps” and “Street-basket” are also organised as part of the project. The players have the opportunity to travel to All-Russia and international competitions and tournaments. In summer the best young players attend training camps in Serbia. Uralkali invests about RUB 30 million in the basketball development project annually.
Uralkali (www.uralkali.com) is one of the world’s largest potash producers and exporters. The Company’s assets consist of 5 mines and 7 ore-treatment mills situated in the towns of Berezniki and Solikamsk (Perm Region, Russia). Uralkali employs ca.11,000 people (in the main production unit). Uralkali’s shares and GDRs are traded on the Moscow Exchange and London Stock Exchange, respectively.