Sports: The Bhutanese basketball coach left more than able basketball players after his two-year tenure.

Kiyong Kim and Youn Myung-Gu of Sunhwa girls’ school, Korea, gifted Bhutan Olympic Committee and the federation with more than Nu 2.4M worth of sports-wears including tracksuits, t-shirts and sports shorts yesterday.

The coach is known for his rigorous training, which earned Bhutan its first 3 on 3 basketball victory against Maldives at the South Asian Beach Games at Hambantota, Sri Lanka last year.

Kiyong Kim said that he has seen an enormous growth in the players and in the quality of the game during his tenure.

“I appreciate the cooperation that the BBF members have within themselves and the support that they have rendered to me while I was here,” he said. “But there is still room for improvement.”

Kiyong Kim first came to Bhutan in June 2011 for a one-year term, under a partnership between the BOC and the Korean Olympic Committee and the Korean Basketball Federation. His term was then extended by another year. During the extended year he helped Bhutan Basketball Federation establish its national team, a press release from the Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC) stated.

BOC Secretary General, Sonam Karma Tshering said the coach made great contribution in grooming the current national basketball team. “He trained the players well.”

An American coach is soon expected to take charge of the national team. It is expected that the new one would help improve the skills of players and take it to the next level, Sonam Karma Tshering said.

At the same time local coaches would get an opportunity to learn more on the sport and help overall development of the game.

By Younten Tshedup