Athletics coach Ildefonso Banzon gives aspiring runners intructions during the culmination competitions of the CCSC grassroots program at the Cebu City Sports Center. CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON
The new breed of sports heroes for Cebu City may have been just among the 5,000 young athletes who graced the culmination competition of the 2015 Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) Summer Grassroots Sports Training Program yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center.
CCSC chairman Edward Hayco said the program which he conceptualized could be a rich source of talent for Cebu City in upcoming future competitions, among them the Palarong Pambansa, where the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) finished a dismal sixth place recently in Tagum City.
“The 2015 Cebu City Sports Commission Summer Grassroots Sports Training Program is the “water source” or a rich source of supply for the Batang Pinoy, the Philippine National Games (PNG) and the Palaro for Cebu. This program will serve as the participant’s entry point from fun to becoming serious athletes in the future,” said Hayco.
Hayco said the government spent a minimal amount for the program because of the volunteer system used.
“The athletes bound for the Batang Pinoy and the PNG are urged to sign up as volunteer athletes for Cebu CIty. We also have a pool of 500 volunteer coaches to train these athletes,” Hayco said.
The CCSC chairman also did not disclose the amount the city spent for the program, saying that financial matters does not really correspond to the magnitude or impact that the program will make in the field of sports.
“Giving away money figures might just take away the focus of the volunteers to the program because it’s really hard to do a volunteer job considering the heat and dust.”
There to witness the successful event was Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
Rama said he lauds the CCSC, especially Hayco, for creating such program that develops the character of the children, which is important in nation building.
“This is a very laudable program, and I thank chairman Edward Hayco for it,” Rama said.
“This program will serve as a vehicle for nation building because this will build character among the children. This is also where they will learn more about good manners and right conduct. That is why we are fully supporting the sports for all concepts.”
Among the 17 sporting events of the program, dancesports gathered the most number of participants as volunteer coach Loloi Rendon said they tallied a total of 700 participants.
Volleyball volunteer coach Jordan Paca, for his part, said he listed a total of 300 participants in his sport.
Young dancesporters perform during their turn for the presentation at the Cebu City Sports Center. CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON
The other events included in the program are basketball, arnis, archery, boxing, badminton, chess, dancesports, karatedo, soccer, indoor sepak takraw, softball, taekwondo, table tennis, track and field, weightlifting and touch rugby.
CCSC commissioner Bernard Ricablanca, for his part, said that sustainability of the program is also being looked at by the CCSC. He said after this, they will monitor potential athletes when they go back to their respective schools and evaluate their progress in the hopes of discovering talents who could compete for Cebu City and the Cebu province.
“This would be like the training ground for future competitions,” he said. “We won’t see the impact right away but after three or four years, who knows? One of these kids may be our future medalist.”
Those who won in yesterday’s soft competitions will also be trained for Team Cebu City for the upcoming PNG, which will conduct its qualifying tournament this June 13.