VIBGYOR marks the successful conclusion of a multi-city elite basketball camp led by Spanish basketball icons Marta Canella and Bernat Canut
6 August 2025: The VIBGYOR Group of Schools, one of India’s premier K-12 education networks, in collaboration with Olympia Sportz & Events, has successfully concluded the Marta & Bernat International Hoops – India 2025 — a first-of-its-kind, elite basketball training camp led by Marta Canella and World Cup silver medalist coach Bernat Canut Font. Held from 22 July to 3 August 2025, the elite programme spanned Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru, delivering high-performance coaching to over 350+ student-athletes between the ages of 10 and 18.
Led by coach Bernat Canut Font (FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup silver medallist) and Marta Canella, the camp was designed to sharpen advanced skills, tactical awareness, and the mental discipline needed to succeed in competitive basketball. Unlike traditional school-level sports events, this was an immersive, world-class training experience. Students underwent rigorous drills, live gameplay simulations, real-time feedback, and one-on-one mentoring from two of Europe’s most respected basketball professionals. Each participant walked away not just with a certificate and autographed memorabilia, but with a renewed sense of confidence and aspiration.
Speaking on the collaboration, Shaji Kuttiani, Director of Sports and Events at VIBGYOR Group of Schools, said, “This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our students to be personally trained by an Olympic athlete and a globally renowned coach. Marta Canella and Bernat Canut Font brought not just world-class skill, but powerful stories of perseverance, discipline and teamwork that deeply resonated with every young athlete. By opening the camp to students beyond our own campuses, we were able to spark a wider culture of sporting excellence and inspire the next generation to aim higher, both on and off the court.”
“Basketball in India holds immense untapped potential, and camps like these help accelerate its growth. Interacting with global athletes gave students a fresh perspective on the sport. It’s a meaningful step toward nurturing a stronger basketball culture in schools and beyond”, Kevin Mathew Lalu, Head of Basketball, VIBGYOR Group of Schools, added.
What set this initiative apart was its scale and inclusivity. While the core training camp travelled across four major cities, Canella and Canut also extended the impact by visiting VIBGYOR campus in Nagpur. There, they conducted exclusive motivational sessions, inspiring hundreds more students through stories of grit, perseverance, and global sporting success. Their words, grounded in lived experience, struck a powerful chord with young audiences—many of whom were engaging with international athletes for the first time.
Speaking about the camp, Marta Canella said, “The passion and energy I witnessed in these young athletes was incredible. Coaching them reminded me why sport is such a powerful force, not just for competition, but for growth and connection.”
“The students came with drive, focus and an eagerness to learn. It was a joy to work with them and see their confidence grow over just three days,” Coach Bernat Canut Font added.
With this initiative, VIBGYOR once again demonstrated its commitment to holistic education — blending academics with real-world exposure, and empowering students to dream, train, and perform at a global level. The successful conclusion of this multi-city tour marks a bold step forward in redefining what school sports can achieve in India.