About Time

In Philippine sports, one learns to be grateful for every piece of good news - no matter how small or late in the game it comes. Over the years, nothing much has changed since I last trained and competed for flag and country. But despite the issues, the lack of support, or the politics that continue to hound Philippine sports; to be part of it remains a commitment that athletes embrace.

Less than five weeks to go before the Guangzhou Asian Games and yet many athletes still have not had the opportunity to train or compete abroad. National Sports Associations (NSA) that have the means to send their athletes and coaches abroad for training fare much better than those that depend largely on the support of the Philippine government through its various agencies.

The much coveted international training and exposures are still among those at the top of every athlete's wish list. Still, one of the many things I learned in all those years as an athlete, it was that at the heart of it all was the love for the sport.

As another major event approaches, I wish all athletes especially those in the sports I am and have been part of, the best of luck.

Philippine Rowing Association
The athletes who are competing at this year's Asian Games continue their training at the La Mesa Dam. Their competitors like the Iraqi rowers are training with the U.S. Team while others have been training in Europe for months now. Despite whatever disadvantages that present, the rowers are doing their best (like always) to prepare for the tough races that loom ahead.

Philippine Dragon Boat Federation
At one point the dragon boat team mulled pull-out from the RP Asiad delegation. I had an opportunity to talk with Mr. Ilagan about it and he told me they will not do it if they can help it. They have long waited for the approval of their request to train in LMD. The water there is much similar to the waters of the race course at the Guangdong International Rowing Centre, which I had the chance to see at the Asian Junior Rowing Championships last July.

Their request was recently approved. And they were given ten days to train at LMD before the "qualifying" time trials. That time trial was supposed to happen earlier today. I really hope that both men and women's teams successfully equalled or surpassed whatever time they were supposed to beat. If they did, they would be able to continue their training at LMD until before the Asian Games.

Wushu Federation of the Philippines
At last, the national wushu-sanshou athletes are finally leaving for their training at Shanxi province in China. They were supposed to have a 45-day training there but delays in their departure left with much less than that. It would not have mattered much if their Chinese coach was still around to train them. But he left months ago, leaving an Asiad bound team training on their own. As seasoned athletes, they did what they had to do to prepare. I sure hope, and I'm sure they do too, that all those training will be enough to win the much coveted Gold.

At the end of the day, all athletes who compete for flag and country are heroes. It does not matter if they win or lose the gold, silver, or bronze. Those who know what they experience and do for the love of sport would always think of them as winners.

Mabuhay ang atletang Pilipino!

A glimpse beyond the big B’s of Philippine sports

It is ironic that many athletes still manage to shine even when a more unified and well-supported sports for all program remains to be a dream. Amateur and professional sports produced the likes of Paeng Nepomuceno, Efren “Bata” Reyes, and Manny Pacquiao to name a few. However, away from the spotlight of more popular sports there are individuals and groups that breathe life to a severely malnourished sports framework.

Sports in the Filipino mindset are usually focused on the Big B’s such as basketball, billiards, boxing, and badminton. The popularity gained by these sports give them the distinct advantage in generating more resources for promotion and development. Consequently, the continuous increase in support opens doors to an extensive list of expertise like coaching, technical training, and sports medicine. It is not surprising then that these are the sports that either put the country into the global sports map or attract more members at the grassroots level.

There are, however, other sports that increasingly appeal to people from all walks of life. Running keeps on gaining more prominence. Runners and running clubs are growing in numbers. In fact, it is hard to miss individuals and groups out for their daily morning or evening runs.

The continuous growth of running for fitness or competition is a positive turn in promoting sports for all in the country. The fact that thousands of people pursue it for leisure or competition signifies that Filipinos are eager to embrace sports to achieve a healthier lifestyle. And if the weekly fun runs, road races, and marathons are to be used as gauge then running is undoubtedly successful in reaching out to people from diverse backgrounds and age groups.

Another sport with a thriving community of active members is dragon boat. Since the sport was introduced in Manila during the late 1980’s its membership increased exponentially. It also managed to make its mark in the global dragon boat scene by producing world champions courtesy of its national athletes.

Like running, the grassroots activities of dragon boat are self-sustained. Imagine then what a solid and financially-backed grassroots program can accomplish if a meager government budget allocation produce champions locally and internationally. Having a wide base of potential recruits can make talent identification for the national pool of athletes easier.

The other side of Philippine sports relies not only on financial support but also in the environment. Sport and the environment is a program that needs to be promoted. Promoting the sport of rowing in its base is a case in point. Over the years, the Pasig River is home to various rowing club teams. But the dismal state of the river is not exactly the most ideal venue for training. However, student and corporate athletes commit to training regularly because of their passion for the sport. The sport even managed to qualify two of its national athletes in the Olympics.

Running, dragon boat, and rowing are just some of the many sports being promoted in the country. Perhaps it is an under-appreciated fact that each national sports association work towards elevating the status of their respective sports both in the elite and grassroots level.

A lot of things are said to point out the many shortcomings of sports leaders and institutions tasked to advocate, develop, and promote sports in the country. Over the years, sports development in its entirety can be described as inadequate or sluggish at best. Maybe it is because it just did not enjoy the kind of unified support from different sectors.

To compare overall performance with powerhouse countries in the region is highly unfair for those who are passionate and committed to working for the betterment of Philippine sports. There is only so much that a meager budget can do to sustain an ailing sports framework.

The best contribution Filipinos can make to support the country’s sports program is to find opportunities to participate or encourage others to do so. There are more to Philippine sports than what we frequently read or hear about and watch on television. Beyond the fame and popularity of certain sports there are different disciplines that aim to bring more pride to our country.

Pinay long jumper wins gold

A former roommate in the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex South Tower wins the Gold in long jump in the Asian Track and Field Championships held at the Guangdong Olympic Center in Guangzhou, China. Maris' commitment to training paid off.

It is such a source of pride and inspiration to see athletes struggle and emerge victorious through talent, hard work and dedication. Go Pinoy athletes!

Full story:
Torres ends Asian Track & Field Gold drought
From Good News Pilipinas

Sport for All

Sport: a human right for all individuals

Sport for All is a movement promoting the Olympic ideal that sport is a human right for all individuals regardless of race, social class and sex. The movement encourages sports activities that can be exercised by people of all ages, both sexes and different social and economic conditions.

Just recently, I mentioned Olympism in an email thread with dragon boat friends. The thread was about some umpiring, rowing and dragon boat updates. I said that whatever our role requires us to do in our respective sports we should not forget to promote the spirit of Olympism, always.

Modern Olympism, as defined here, celebrates the ideals which remain at the heart of Olympism. By blending sport with culture and education, Olympism promotes a way of life based on:

* The balanced development of the body, will and mind
* The joy found in effort
* The educational value of being a good role model
* Respect for universal ethics including tolerance, generosity, unity, friendship, non-discrimination and respect for others.

I thought about all of these immediately after I heard about an unfortunate issue involving my dragon boat club team. Quite frankly, the story is not new to me. I heard variations of it already even before, seemingly harmless remarks from competitors. Those kinds of things happen a lot in sports. No big deal.

This latest incident happened during the November 8th race at Manila Bay. A teammate told me that a paddler from another team called one of the Manila Dragon women's team members "gurang" (oldie) inside a CR. My friend told me that another teammate took exception and respectfully called the lady paddler on it. The said teammate explained quiety that most of the women that she was disrespecting were breast cancer survivors. The girl who made the comment apologized. However, as soon as the teammate who called her on it left, the girl shouted "Wala akong pakialam!" (I don't care!). Unfortunately, my friend said another teammate was still in one of the bathroom stalls and heard her - and triggered another exchange.

In another incident, a different team's member commented "Ay matrona!" while Manila Dragons were unloading.

A few thoughts came to mind after I heard the story:
1. Everyone is entitled to her/his own opinion. Ang pikon talo.
2. Sporting events are often rife with intrigues. Competitiveness and team pride knows no bounds.
3. There is always an opportunity to understand the ideals of sports better. Learning and understanding is a start.

To the Manila Dragons breast cancer survivors, nasty and petty comments thrown at you will not diminish the strength of your spirits.

As for the labels, I personally wish to defy those labels as I intend to play until my old age. Sports for All means sports is for all. No one has the right to discourage healthy individuals from embracing a sporting life.