Sports in School 3
Bleacher Talk
September 9, 2007
Sports in School 3
Yes, there’s a “3” in the headline as recent turn of events have made the topic deserve a third piece dating back to the first one that I did in July. In sum, I had stressed that the best avenue for genuine grassroots sports development will be the country’s youth in schools. I pointed out that we can easily find in schools the structure, the target kids and the mix of academics and sports that perfectly blend together to make a sports program work.
And as if scripted, five major stories or events came out in the local media about youth-based sports programs. Three of these already exist, while the other two are all talk so far. We’ll have to play a waiting game to see if these ever become reality.
Last weekend saw the launch of the annual Milo BEST SBP and Pasarelle basketball tournament. The nationwide tournament features the top schools in the Under 14 (Pasarelle) and Under 12 (SBP) age groups. Nic Jorge’s brainchild is the most popular and longest-running tournament for kids of this age and it’s now a must for schools with basketball programs to join it.
Friday saw the launch of the Milo Olympics. This is one of the biggest sportsfests featuring the best of sports among grade schools in Cebu and beyond. The Milo Olympics will run for two weekends to accommodate all the participating teams and schedules for all events that will be played.
The third event which is I’d like to consider a “pleasant” breath of fresh air in this commercially-tainted world of sports is Bogo City’s inter grade school basketball tournament. When I read about it, I was really glad that somebody was now moving to tap the public schools to develop the sport. It’s one of the most talked-about activities needed for grassroots development, but nobody seems to be taking the initiative to get it going, except Bogo. The Cebu City Olympics is also there, but I have a feeling it’s being implemented for the sake of just that: for implementation. I have yet to see the fruits out of the basketball events at the Cebu City Olympics.
The other two events that we’ll label as “all talk” for now were stories about Mayor Jonas Cortes of Mandaue and Mayor Duke Frasco of Lilo-an. On a personal note, I’ll feel a little bit more connected with them since I’m a resident of Lilo-an and hold office in Mandaue. Both mayors were recently featured in the papers and when the topic on sports was raised, they automatically talked about the need for sports development.
One might say that they’re politicians and will tend to always talk about too many things (that never happen). But since we’re both a Lilo-anon and a Mandauehanon, I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt and instead push them to convert their talk into action. After all, since they’ve already talked about it, we might as well push them for it. And since I also tend to talk a bit too much, I’ll go ahead and give this corner’s unsolicited advice to both. I’m sure they won’t mind it, will they?
For the sake of discussion, let’s just say that we were on top of a town’s basketball or sports program. The very first thing I’d do is present a blueprint for grassroots development that will feature all the grade schools of Lilo-an (or Mandaue). We’ll sit down with Mayor Frasco (along with fellow Freeman columnist and Lilo-an Councilor Bobby Motus and a mayor’s cousin named Nimrod). We’ll invite the mayor to dream big about what he wants to see Lilo-an achieve in the field of sports development.
Assuming we’re on the same page, we’ll then discuss how to tap the thousands of grade school students of the town. The program will be composed of three basic activities. We’ll teach the kids between 8-12 years old how to play and have fun. We’ll then train the trainers and coaches of these kids. And then we’ll hold a long-running and prestigious tournament among Lilo-an’s grade schools.
Our lead team of coaches or trainers will develop a year-long training program for all schools, and go on a school-hopping campaign to teach the kids the basics of the sport. The school-based coaches and PE teachers of the kids will then work on the follow-through practice sessions with the help of the lead team of coaches. Once the kids have learned the basics and are ready to compete, we’ll move on to the icing of the program.
We’ll have a weekends-only tournament that will run through the school-year and will see the kids play in different gyms across the town (maybe even go home-and-away). We’ll tap sponsors in an “Adopt a School” gimmick and get the community involved. We’ll then cap this with the championship games to be held at the Lilo-an Kai Sports Complex (which will also be renovated for the occasion). Whoa!
What I’m discussing is really nothing new and exclusive to Lilo-an. If they get the chance to read this piece, I’m certain our friends at the Mandaue City Hall like Atty. Omar Redula won’t disagree with what I’m saying. And neither will Mandaue’s premier sportsmen like Glenn Bercede and Boy Cabahug. Mayor Cortes talked about the good old days of the fierce inter-barangay tournaments that always had Opao and Looc go at each other’s throats (literally and figuratively). Let’s take it a step further and involve Mandaue’s schools as well.
Do I talk too much? You bet I do! But it’s a conviction that we’ve had as a sports buff and bleacher bum.
It’s just sad that we haven’t seen any of these happen; at least not yet.
***
Time-out: Congratulations to Los Jefes de Cebu and team captain Chester Cokaliong for bagging the over-all championship of the PAL Intersports tournament! The basketball team’s grand slam will be a Four-Peat in 2008. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
September 9, 2007
Sports in School 3
Yes, there’s a “3” in the headline as recent turn of events have made the topic deserve a third piece dating back to the first one that I did in July. In sum, I had stressed that the best avenue for genuine grassroots sports development will be the country’s youth in schools. I pointed out that we can easily find in schools the structure, the target kids and the mix of academics and sports that perfectly blend together to make a sports program work.
And as if scripted, five major stories or events came out in the local media about youth-based sports programs. Three of these already exist, while the other two are all talk so far. We’ll have to play a waiting game to see if these ever become reality.
Last weekend saw the launch of the annual Milo BEST SBP and Pasarelle basketball tournament. The nationwide tournament features the top schools in the Under 14 (Pasarelle) and Under 12 (SBP) age groups. Nic Jorge’s brainchild is the most popular and longest-running tournament for kids of this age and it’s now a must for schools with basketball programs to join it.
Friday saw the launch of the Milo Olympics. This is one of the biggest sportsfests featuring the best of sports among grade schools in Cebu and beyond. The Milo Olympics will run for two weekends to accommodate all the participating teams and schedules for all events that will be played.
The third event which is I’d like to consider a “pleasant” breath of fresh air in this commercially-tainted world of sports is Bogo City’s inter grade school basketball tournament. When I read about it, I was really glad that somebody was now moving to tap the public schools to develop the sport. It’s one of the most talked-about activities needed for grassroots development, but nobody seems to be taking the initiative to get it going, except Bogo. The Cebu City Olympics is also there, but I have a feeling it’s being implemented for the sake of just that: for implementation. I have yet to see the fruits out of the basketball events at the Cebu City Olympics.
The other two events that we’ll label as “all talk” for now were stories about Mayor Jonas Cortes of Mandaue and Mayor Duke Frasco of Lilo-an. On a personal note, I’ll feel a little bit more connected with them since I’m a resident of Lilo-an and hold office in Mandaue. Both mayors were recently featured in the papers and when the topic on sports was raised, they automatically talked about the need for sports development.
One might say that they’re politicians and will tend to always talk about too many things (that never happen). But since we’re both a Lilo-anon and a Mandauehanon, I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt and instead push them to convert their talk into action. After all, since they’ve already talked about it, we might as well push them for it. And since I also tend to talk a bit too much, I’ll go ahead and give this corner’s unsolicited advice to both. I’m sure they won’t mind it, will they?
For the sake of discussion, let’s just say that we were on top of a town’s basketball or sports program. The very first thing I’d do is present a blueprint for grassroots development that will feature all the grade schools of Lilo-an (or Mandaue). We’ll sit down with Mayor Frasco (along with fellow Freeman columnist and Lilo-an Councilor Bobby Motus and a mayor’s cousin named Nimrod). We’ll invite the mayor to dream big about what he wants to see Lilo-an achieve in the field of sports development.
Assuming we’re on the same page, we’ll then discuss how to tap the thousands of grade school students of the town. The program will be composed of three basic activities. We’ll teach the kids between 8-12 years old how to play and have fun. We’ll then train the trainers and coaches of these kids. And then we’ll hold a long-running and prestigious tournament among Lilo-an’s grade schools.
Our lead team of coaches or trainers will develop a year-long training program for all schools, and go on a school-hopping campaign to teach the kids the basics of the sport. The school-based coaches and PE teachers of the kids will then work on the follow-through practice sessions with the help of the lead team of coaches. Once the kids have learned the basics and are ready to compete, we’ll move on to the icing of the program.
We’ll have a weekends-only tournament that will run through the school-year and will see the kids play in different gyms across the town (maybe even go home-and-away). We’ll tap sponsors in an “Adopt a School” gimmick and get the community involved. We’ll then cap this with the championship games to be held at the Lilo-an Kai Sports Complex (which will also be renovated for the occasion). Whoa!
What I’m discussing is really nothing new and exclusive to Lilo-an. If they get the chance to read this piece, I’m certain our friends at the Mandaue City Hall like Atty. Omar Redula won’t disagree with what I’m saying. And neither will Mandaue’s premier sportsmen like Glenn Bercede and Boy Cabahug. Mayor Cortes talked about the good old days of the fierce inter-barangay tournaments that always had Opao and Looc go at each other’s throats (literally and figuratively). Let’s take it a step further and involve Mandaue’s schools as well.
Do I talk too much? You bet I do! But it’s a conviction that we’ve had as a sports buff and bleacher bum.
It’s just sad that we haven’t seen any of these happen; at least not yet.
***
Time-out: Congratulations to Los Jefes de Cebu and team captain Chester Cokaliong for bagging the over-all championship of the PAL Intersports tournament! The basketball team’s grand slam will be a Four-Peat in 2008. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
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