A historic sports event was launched in neighboring Negros Occidental last May 22-29. This was the Philippine National Games, a sporting event “which serves as the ultimate challenge grounds to bring out the best of the national crop and the emerging ones (and) to serve as the final ‘ranking and selection ground’ for possible composition of the national pool, from which the team for future international competitions are formed.” (The National Standard, official publication of the POC-PSC National Games).
Foundation University fielded in the PNG a total of 44 athletes: two for athletics men, two teams of two players each for beach volleyball men, two for beach volleyball women, two teams of nine players each for futsal women, and two teams of nine players each for futsal men. Where two teams were fielded, the first team was entered as “FU” and the second team as “IYSPeace”.
I joined the contingent as head of the delegation. Riding in the FU bus, we left Dumaguete at midnight of May 21st and arrived in Talisay City early the following morning, checking in at the RB Lacson Memorial High School where we were billeted. After breakfast, we all proceeded to the Panaad Sports Complex to claim our IDs.
The organizers deviate from the usual and often-boring format of opening ceremonies consisting of a parade of participants and speeches no one listens to, by ushering the PNG 2011 with a fun run of 3k, 5k, and 10k distances.
Sporting race bib number 00995, I joined the more than 2,000 fun runners and managed to walk-run my first official 3k, overtaking one guy wearing the PNP uniform, a couple of muscular athletes sporting the national dragon boat t-shirt, and POC Chairman Monico Puentevella, calling out to him as I passed him: “Monico, talo ka ng septuagenarian!”
FU Vice President Dean Sinco took over the coaching chores of the futsal teams, and with remarkable, if not amazing, results. All throughout the six-weeks of training, Dean would wake up early to supervise the kettlebells workout to build up the muscular strength of all the players. From six to nine in the evening, six days a week, he conducted drills and rigorous workouts, going home sweaty and wet with perspiration, and feeling too tired he could hardly eat dinner.
But his sacrifice was not in vain. The FU futsal teams were the big surprise of this first-ever integrated national open championships.
For the record, FU won the following: four trophies awarded to the men’s futsal Team IYSPeace for winning 2nd place, men’s futsal Team FU 3rd place, men’s beach volleyball Team FU copping 3rd place, and the much-coveted Fair Play award won by the men’s futsal Team IYSPeace.
With the Fair Play Award, the five-member men’s futsal Team IYSPeace each received a gold medal, as well as a silver medal, for a total of 10 medals.
Their Team FU counterparts in futsal and beach volleyball garnered a total of seven bronze medals. The women’s beach volleyball duo, placing 4th, were likewise awarded a bronze medal each for making the semi-finals, bringing the total number of medals won by the four teams to 19.
Morris Tulang of the men’s futsal Team FU was voted a member of the “Mythical Five”, and was awarded a gold medal. Thus, the total number of medals won was six golds, five silvers, and nine bronze medals.
A total of 4,223 athletes competed in 34 sports, including 554 members of the national training pool. The 44 athletes of Foundation University with the awards they brought home proved that they are among the best in the country.
The performance of the futsal teams portents of the potential of the province of Negros Oriental as a hotbed for football. We noted with concern the conspicuous absence of other teams from our University Town. Negros Occidental fielded teams from Kabangkalan and Talisay, whose men’s futsal team member was likewise voted into the Mythical Five. Davao and Cagayan de Oro from Mindanao also entered futsal teams.
Having said this, it appears urgent for NORFA officials and members to consolidate the association’s resources, review its vision and mission statements, and craft programs and projects that will bring Negros Oriental prominently into the Philippine football development scenario.
I have the good fortune of having two officials of the Philippine Football Federation as my former athletes in the University of the Philippines when I was dean of the Institute of Sports, Physical Education andRecreation (ISPEAR).
PFF President Mariano “Nonong” Araneta was the captain of the football team and Secretary-General Ramon “Chito” Manuel was a member of the volleyball team. I met with Chito and national futsal coach Esmaeil Sedigh, aka “Coach Esse”, a German married to a Filipino-Chinese, over breakfast and discussed the possibility of putting in place in Negros Oriental a training program for referees and coaches.
With this development, and with my personal acquaintance and link to the current officials of PFF, I look forward to meeting with the officials of NORFA to explore the possibility of how we can utilize this to our advantage.
Dick Emperado, Dodo Bustamante, and other NORFA officials, let’s get together as soon as possible. I shall make myself available at your convenience, and I have the permission of FU President, Dr. Mira Sinco and coach Dean Sinco to host this meeting at Foundation University. It is imperative that we take advantage of the interest in football being generated by the Azcals and the new leadership of the PFF.
