WHAT is wrong with the country’s sports program?
A lot, says basketball legend and former Commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission, El Presidente, Ramon Fernandez.
Among others, he said, we are competing with countries whose leaders put premium on real sports development, not just superficial development program.
By saying that, he meant allotting and spending to develop sports and providing real professionals and experts to manage the sports program.
This includes, he added, a wholistic approach right from the grassroots to the country’s capital.
In other words, sports development in the real sense, dili kay pamolitika lang.
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He said, present realities would place basketball outside of the country’s “reach.” By its very nature, the game of basketball needs height, bulk and agility which we don’t have, he said.
Our players are generally short, not bulky though they are highly agile. When competing with their Caucasian counterparts, they become greatly disadvantaged because of height and build.
Another factor is infrastructure, he said.
Very little is invested to procure topnotch sports facilities, including experts to manage the country’s sports, in contrast to the modern sports facilities and equipment in other countries.
Those engaged in sports program need abundant support from the government otherwise, the cycle of backward sports development program will become the rule rather than the exception.
Dili man gyod competitive ang atong basketball internationally so angay nga i-calibrate or i-reassess nato ang atong priority sa sports.
Adto na lang ta mo-focus, he said, sa mga sports nga bagay ra sa atong build, like boxing, bowling, chess, fencing, and running games, among others.
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Wrong priorities in the grassroots basketball program.
I boldly say this after noting that in the barangay, municipal and even provincial level, there is more focus in winning the trophy rather than in promoting sports.
Bahala og unsaon pagdaog basta modaog, the rule says.
This includes importing players from other places, placing in the background the importance of struggling “local players.” Ma-bangko og dili na lang gyod ka-dula kay unahon pagpadula ang mga “imported” players aron lang modaog.
It would seem that more stress and great emphasis are placed in the winning rather than in developing players and their game.
Mas gihatagan og importansiya ang pagdaog during tournaments rather than in regular sports program.
Short-term rather than long-term.
Thus, we hear of 100,000 or even half a million pesos in prizes for the champion team, the money of course is taken from government coffers, part kuno sa sports program.
Kon way tournament, or kon naa pero gamay ra ang premyo, there is less enthusiasm to join.
Unya duna pod uban nga modaog lang kay abtik kaayo mo-file og protest, but not winning in a real game.
How can we expect to develop top caliber athletes?
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Another thing.
During routine sports competition like provincial meets and regional meets, unsay kasagaran mahitabo?
For one thing, there is hokus-pokus in food.
Mas lami, mas daghan ug mas sustansiado pa ang pagkaon sa mga sports officials ug ilang mga bisita apil na ang sakop sa pamilya kay sa mga athletes.
Magmantinil lang intawon sa ilang pagkaon ang mga athletes.
Aside from that, ang budget sa pagkaon and uniform, including equipment, sa mga athletes gi-kikik sab sa mga opisyales.
Daghanon ang rice, gamay ra ang sud-an plus daghanon pod ang sabaw. Mabusog man tuod pero dili gyod sustansyado ang ilang pagkaon. Unya kadtong igo rang motan-aw, igo rang mobisita nga mga opisyales ug mga bisita mao na hinuon ang gibusog sa mga nindot ug daghan nga mga sud-an.
Luoy ang quality sa mga uniform and shoes kay gi-kikik lagi ang budget, plus kilkilon pa gyod ang incentives nga para sa mga modaog sa dula.
Igo ra i-announce nga dagko ang incentives pero dili madawat sa player kay tua sa coach or team manager gi-bulsa.
How can we encourage players to become better ones when they are always exposed to corruption?
