Whether it’s football or long jump, this Atenean knows how to excel
The accidental hero. This best describes Julian Cabatingan of the Sacred Heart School -Ateneo de Cebu-(SHS- AdC) Magis Eagles who earned a gold medal in an event he was not supposed to compete in during the recent Central Visayas Regional Athletic (CVIRAA) meet in Balamban town, west Cebu.
Cabatingan, a 12-year-old native of Borbon, Cebu, is a star player of the Magis Eagles elementary football team taking the tough defender slot.
However, during one of the team’s trainings just three weeks before the regional meet, Cabatingan’s Physical Education teacher and SHS-AdC’s athletics coach Priscilliano Capangpangan – he with the keen eye for raw talent – asked the lanky gradeschooler to try his hand in athletics.
Ever the obedient pupil, Cabatingan agreed even if it meant having to practice twice a day, one for football and the other for athletics.
The youngster, however, proved that with practice, dedication and innate talent, one can rightfully shine even on a mammoth stage like the CVIRAA when he surprisingly claimed the gold medal in elementary boys’ high jump.
Cabatingan cleared a height of 1.40 meters besting his rivals who trained for months exclusively for the event. His beloved football team, though, lost in the final and settled for the silver medal.
A NATURAL
For his feat, Cabatingan earned a slot in the Central Visayas team for this summer’s 2015 Palarong Pambansa in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
“Gipa-try ra ko ni coach Prising (Capangpangan) then nakakita siya’g potential nako sa athletics,” said Cabatingan. “Gipa practice ko niya for three weeks para Cviraa.”
But despite his surprising success in athletics, Cabatingan said his heart still belongs to football.
“If ever na papili-on ko sa athletics og football, mura’g buhian nako ang track and field kay mas kailangan man gud ko sa among football team,” Julian said.
Capangpangan said should Cabatingan decide to shift to athletics, the youngster won’t have a difficult time.
“Dako’g potential si Julian sa athletics kay he has the height and the will to play. He will also find it easy to train if ever ganahan siya mo shift to athletics kay duna na man siya’y background sa iyang training as a varsity football player,” said
Capangpangan, who was himself a noted trackster during his heyday with the Cebu Central Colleges, the present University of Cebu.
Asked the reason behind Mandaue City’s strong showing in athletics during the CVIRAA, Capangpangan said it was their athletes’ huge hearts.
“All my athletes are not recruited since we can’t do so kay wa man mi mag offer og scholarships sa varsity teams. They were just discovered in my Physical Education classes. One of our biggest advantages compared to other schools is that our athletes are not playing because they are compelled to like the varsity scholars. They are playing merely for their love of the game,” Capangpangan said.
Mandaue City also snared the secondary girls’ athletics title.
“Nindot sad kaayo ang support nga gihatag sa mga parents as well as the school, especially Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu’s president Fr. Manny Uy,” the coach said, “including giving athletes special programs, giving them exam schedule adjustments whenever there is an upcoming event para ang mga bata dili gyud mabitin sa ilang academics.”