The University of San Carlos (USC) athletics team with their head coach, Arvin Loberanis (in maroon shirt). | Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Return with muscles in your abdomens or suffer the consequences of not getting your allowances.
This was the challenge that University of San Carlos (USC) athletics coach, Arvin Loberanis, has put up for his athletes and his fellow coaches.
“Need gyud kay naa consequences, ang walay abs walay one month boarding allowance or daily training allowance,” said Loberanis who added that all, including the coaches, accepted the challenge.
(They need to because there are consequences. Those without abs will not get their one month boarding allowance or daily training allowance.)
According to Loberanis, he came up with the challenge to motivate his athletes to continue doing strength and conditioning training in their respective homes.
The coach added that it is a must for them to stay fit, which will not be hard as they can still do indoor strength training in their respective homes.
Loberanis said that he has sent them a training program through their chat group.
If it weren’t for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, Loberanis said they would have been in the middle of training for the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Games 2020, which would have been held from April 19 to 24 in Tuguegarao City.
Members of the USC athletics team would have formed the core of Central Visayas athletics team after clinching 19 gold medals in the PRISAA Regional Games held here in Cebu City last March 7 and 8.
In last year’s PRISAA National Games held in Davao City, Central Visayas athletics team had finished as the overall champions in the men’s division and first runner-up in the women’s division.
Aside from Cebu City, some members of the USC athletics team are natives of Cebu provincial towns of Bantayan and Alcoy while some come from as far as Bukidnon, Butuan, Agusan and Bayawan.
Loberanis said that being quarantined doesn’t mean that they will not have training.
He added that as per their school’s instruction, as soon as the quarantine is lifted, they are to immediately return to their schools and resume training.
Loberanis said that not being able to do their usual training matters because they would not be able to apply speed and endurance but for now they would have to contend with just having their strength and conditioning as this is the training that can be done indoors or without having to go out of their homes. /bmjo