Current, ex-Cobras heartbroken after SWU-Phinma announces Cesafi exit

(Left-Right) Krisca Detalla Cosmod, Kyle Maglinte, Dyll Roncal, Shaq Imperial and Mary Joy Tabal. | CDN, Facebook, and Sugbuanong Kodaker photos

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The official announcement of the Southwestern University (SWU) Phinma’s final season in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) drew synonymous reactions from its current and former varsity stars.

Earlier this week, the SWU-Phinma officially announced it will spend its final season with Cesafi, sending shockwaves throughout the local sports community.

A signed statement from SWU-Phinma’s COO, Cheryl P. Chan, announced its official decision to end its participation in Cebu’s premier inter-school league, jeopardizing hundreds of free scholarships and benefits from its varsity program.

READ: SWU-Phinma Cobras to exit Cesafi after 2023-2024 season

Current and ex-SWU-Phinma Cobra athletes have expressed their sadness and disappointment and revealed that they’d already been informed of their school’s decision earlier this year.

For the Cobras’ back-to-back Cesafi women’s beach volleyball champion Krisca Detalla Cosmod, they were already informed of the plan last February.  But when the decision was officially announced to the media earlier this week, she can’t help but get hurt.

“Sakit pa jud kaayo siya for us athletes kay syempre, we invested so much time and effort just to give pride and honor sa school last Cesafi and for the next seasons unta, and this suddenly happened,” said Cosmod who topped the 2022 and 2023 Cesafi women’s beach volleyball competition.

READ: SWU in return to Cesafi: ‘We just want to be able to compete’

Caught off-guard

Cosmod revealed that many freshmen and rookie varsity athletes were caught off-guard since the school held tryouts recently since many of their current athletes graduated last 2019.

“We didn’t really see this coming jud since daghan first year and mas sad pa to think pa is, gapa try out pa sila last year since most of the athletes last 2019 were graduated already. So, majority jud sa mga players sa tanang teams sa SWU are first year pa.”

READ: Cesafi: USC takes down SWU-Phinma

“Imagine the feeling that we felt after hearing the announcement and even during these days? Di jud sayon. We felt frustrated and disappointed sa nahitabo ug why they are still accepting athletes ug naa man diay silay plan to stop the program in the first place? And in regards sa official statement from SWU, I felt sad pod after reading it. It hurts to think that they truly are concerned about the students and their families’ dreams towards them, but what about us athletes?” she added.

Cosmod said that athletes like her are also students who dream of earning a degree to support their families through the scholarships and benefits they get from their school. It’s a huge help for them to finish their studies while bringing pride and honor to their school. She felt like they were abandoned.

READ: UV dominates SWU-Phima, now 6-0 in Cesafi

Still, Cosmod said that she remained grateful to the SWU-Phinma since she will be graduating this year, but she can’t help to think about her fellow athletes who have several years left to complete their respective degrees.

Varsity scholarship

Meanwhile, Kyle Maglinte, the rising star point guard of the Cobras’ men’s basketball team, felt helpless upon learning of the announcement. Still, he remained hopeful to land another varsity scholarship in another school.

“I felt sad sa nahibaw-an namo ang balita about sa school nga dili na sila mo support sa athletes but wala mi mabuhat dawaton nalang jud namo,” said Maglinte who had a stellar rookie year in Cesafi.

READ: SWU Cobras beat CRMC Mustangs in their last Cesafi season game

“Himoun nalang ni namong motivation para mas maningkamot sa lain nga opportunity mo abot sa amo-a. For now nag practice nako sa USC and I hope nga maka duwa ko balik this 2024-2025 season sa CESAFI, need lang namo nga mo stay motivated everyday and we accept it in a positive way so that we can move forward.”

On the other hand, two of SWU-Phinma Cobras’ coveted alums, ex-Cesafi MVP Shaq Imperial and Dyll Roncal who towed the team to winning the Cesafi 2019 season title also expressed their sadness.

“As a member men’s basketball team naka feel jud ko ug sad, nag guol sad ko sa mga coaches, staff, players, utility nga nawalan ug scholarship,  trabaho ug labaw sa tanan ang ma-showcase ang ilang tagsa-tagsa ka talent which [is] usa jud sa pinaka nasayangan nako sa mga nag take pa ato na opportunity ba,” said Roncal.

“I don’t know ngano jud kaha nabuhat na sa SWU nga ila man gi ing-ana which na known ta raba na ang eskwelahan pud sa sports sauna palang. Hopefully malamdagan unta sila na ila balikon ang program.”

SWU-Phinma athletes

For his part, Imperial revealed that like most current and former SWU-Phinma athletes, they were already aware of this news, but he couldn’t help but also feel sad when the formal announcement was made.

“I was saddened pagkahibaw nako, dili pa ko maka tuo kay at first syempre dili lang ako pero kadaghanan nga part sa sports program. Although wala gyud ko kahibaw sa main reason, pero na sad ko,” said Imperial.

“I always take pride as an SWU Cobra, defend the land gyud mi pirmi, di ko gusto mawala ang SWU sa Cesafi kay kahibaw mi unsa mi ka competitive sa sports be it basketball, volleyball, badminton. Sayang ug di ko gusto mawala ang scholarship sa athletes. Still, I’m thankful sa SWU-Phinma nga ilaha gyud ko gihatagan ug chance sa program nila, especially kang coach Mike (Reyes) nga nag develop gyud nako sa team.”

Also, Mary Joy Tabal, SWU’s Olympian marathoner, expressed her deep sadness and she can’t help but remember how the school helped her achieve not just her athletic dreams, but her academic ambitions.

“Nasagmuyo sad ko. Naguol ko kay sa Cesafi baya gyud ko na expose ug diha ko nag sugod as a long distance runner ug diha ko nahimong Olympian. Sayang kay wala ta mahimo, kay it’s on the business side,” said Tabal.

“Akong nabantayan sa products sa SWU, enjoy kaayo mi as varsity scholars, walay pressure sa among academics. With that attitude we were always reminded to balance our academics and athletics, nindot kaayo ang program after graduation, they will offer you more, mao to naka masteral ko.”