The Bermuda Basketball Association (BBA) is aiming to boost participation levels and establish basketball as a top-three sport as part of its ambitious four-year programme.

By 2012 the BBA plan to have rebuilt its grass roots infrastructure with a comprehensive development system up and running, while harbouring a long-term vision of seeing the Island challenge at a Pan-Am or Olympic Games.

BBA president Allen Walker is under no illusions of the enormity of the task, but believes the best policy is to take small steps and focus particular attention on improving the standard of junior play.

"The association has felt for a while that it lacked the necessary programmes at all levels needed to develop basketball, " said Walker. "Over recent years many programmes have declined, especially at youth level, and that's something we're looking at resurrecting from 2008.

"Everything begins at the grass-roots level. During next year we're particularly looking at our Under-13 programme and aim to add to it each year. By 2012 we want the total programme in place from Under-13 up to the national level. It's very much a long-term plan and something that's impossible to implement overnight."

Enhancing the sport domestically is another priority for 2008 with the BBA looking to spruce up the Premier Basketball League (PBL), which runs from April 5 until June 30, and create a corporate league from January 21 until March 30.

A women's league will also be re-established, running alongside the PBL, while a youth league for under-13s is scheduled to start on September 20 with fixtures up until December 13. Training camps and coaching clinics for players aged between nine and 13 are also in the pipeline.

"We're trying to push the Premier Basketball League this season and increase more supporter awareness," said Walker. "It needs sprucing up and injecting with more excitement. We are looking at a 10-team league and if we can drum up more public and media involvement, both print and broadcast, then that should have the double effect we are looking for. Maximum coverage will encourage supporter participation."

The tip of the iceberg for the BBA will be its national programme that should evolve naturally as each development stage is implemented. At present the only noteworthy international involvement Bermuda's basketballers experience is at the Island Games, but Walker is keen for that to change.

"Although the Island Games has been terrific for us we must look beyond that and there are many options for us internationally in the Caribbean region," he said. "There's no reason why we can't compete at a Pan-Am Games or even the Olympics many years down the line, if we put the correct programmes in place now."

Bermuda men's basketball team scooped silver at the Island Games in Rhodes last summer, while the women's team picked up bronze. Allen Walker was elected as the BBA's president at the association's AGM in October. He had held the post from 1994 through to 1998 before taking a break from basketball administration.