GOLD COAST (Australia) – Three leading female coaches from Oceania are set to take part in the prestigious FIBA Europe Coaching Certificate (FECC) program – a globally recognised benchmark for youth talent development. Australia's Mel Downer, New Zealand's Mel Bennett, and the Northern Mariana Islands' Marlene Lumabi will travel to Europe for three stages over the next two years.
This unparalleled opportunity directly supports FIBA's core strategic priorities of supporting women in basketball and empowering National Federations. Through elite training, certification, and unprecedented networking, these coaches will not only elevate their own skills but also bring invaluable knowledge and global connections back to their nations, significantly raising coaching standards across the Oceania region.
For nations that are still breaking into the global basketball scene, developing homegrown coaches in collaboration with the World Association of Basketball Coaches (WABC) is essential to raising the standard of basketball.
Marlene Lumabi has committed herself to this goal in the Northern Mariana Islands, progressing through many of FIBA’s coaching development opportunities leading up to her acceptance into the FECC program.
“I’m still learning, I’m still growing, but I know this, I’m right where I’m meant to be – helping others discover who they are through the game I love,” Lumabi said.
Basketball was always around on-island when Lumabi was growing up, but opportunities were limited. She played competitively through her school, for NMI’s Rollers Basketball Club, and her hard work led to her representing the Northern Mariana Islands through her youth. After high school, Lumabi’s passion for the game began to fade.
After some time away from the game, Lumabi was approached to coach a girls’ team for the Rollers in 2016. Eager to return to basketball, but underprepared to coach, she asked to be mentored, and for the next five years she learned from coaches in NMI.
Lubami’s coaching career took off in 2021 when the Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation was revived, and she was nominated as a board member. The same year, she trialled and was selected to compete for NMI’s national team at the 2022 FIBA Micronesia Cup in Guam. Lumabi credits this high-level FIBA competition as reigniting her passion for basketball, “not just as a player, but as a coach.”
Later in 2022, with a newfound drive for coaching, Lumabi was selected for the FIBA Oceania Rising Coaches Program, and after building a strong coaching foundation at the course, she was named the Head Coach of the NMI U15 Girls National Team for the 2022 FIBA U15 Oceania Championship in Guam. Representing a nation where competitive basketball is still emerging, Lumabi highlighted the importance of coaching against top-level competition:
“Watching teams from Australia, New Zealand, and Samoa compete was eye-opening. I returned home more motivated, and more committed to the craft.”
Lumabi continued to expand her coaching expertise over the following years, receiving the Marty Handson scholarship in 2023 – travelling to Melbourne for the prestigious program focussed on leadership and development – and then attending the FIBA 3x3 High-Performance Program on the Gold Coast, where she deepened her understanding of the fast-paced 3x3 format.
Now, in 2025 she has been selected for the FECC program, where she will learn from many acclaimed European coaches, and study one of the world’s most technical and beautiful styles of basketball. Lumabi recognises how the course represents much more than just its technical training component:
“For me, the FIBA Europe Coaching Certification is more than a certificate. It represents growth, purpose, and global connection. It’s a step toward becoming a more intentional coach who leads with structure, clarity, and compassion. I hope to deepen my understanding of coaching as both a craft and a responsibility.”
Lumabi is currently the Head Coach of NMI’s U23 Women’s 3x3 Team, who are currently preparing for the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau. Alongside her commitment to the progress of competitive basketball in the Northern Mariana Islands, Lumabi is also dedicated to empowering young female athletes through her grassroots development program I Am Her. She has never forgotten her own personal journey along the way and always stresses how she wants to bring global learning to her local community.
“I’ve seen what basketball can do for people, especially for women and youth in small island communities. My mission is to build programs, create access, and prove to the next generation that this game can take them anywhere.”
Alongside with Marlene Lumabi, two more equally fantastic coaches will be accompanying her at the FECC course.
An assistant coach with the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence, Mel Downer will be Australia’s participant in the 10th edition of the FECC program. Already a highly acclaimed coach, Downer is committed to honing her skills through analysing the European style of basketball:
“We know Europe is obviously really good tactically, so being able to take anything that’s cutting edge from them that we haven’t seen before, and bringing that back, is going to be great for us,” Downer said.
Widely respected in her local basketball community and known on the global stage for her success with New Zealand’s U17 team, Mel Bennett will be representing the blend between grit and grace that New Zealand Basketball is known for.
There is a great feeling of momentum behind basketball development in the region of Oceania. Through the FECC, Bennett, Downer and Lumabi can help improve their nation's coaching standards, providing educational benefits both for their fellow coaches, as well as the young Oceania athletes who will benefit greatly from their expertise.
Samoa Basketball Federation President and National Men's Head Coach, Pualele Craig, is on track to complete the FECC program this year, having started in 2023. In recent years, Craig has led the Samoa National Men's team to a bronze medal at the FIBA Polynesian Cup and coached the U15 Boys to a bronze medal at the FIBA U15 Oceania Cup.