Vicente: Train harder

“EVERYTIME we win we yearn to win more, so in response to that yearning, we must train harder.” This is the orientation that the executives of the Baguio Arnis All stars want to realize for our arnisadors. Triumph should be celebrated but it should not be a reason to train less. A win is a reminder that your hard work has paid off and it is also a warning to train even harder to perform better next time. For a dedicated athlete this is a cycle to live by, training harder means improvement and improvement always yields better performance.

After a couple of months of preparation and sacrifices for the 2013 “Dinagyang Bastoneros” National Arnis tournament in Iloilo City last 25-26 January, the Baguio Arnis All Stars – Tribal Clan Martial Arts System bested other teams from Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Capiz, Aklan, Philippine Airforce and Philippine Army to retain the overall crown in the seniors division. The event was attended by more or less 400 participants and with Baguio City’s lesser entry compared to last year’s the team still managed to capture the over-all Championship.

Young Arnisadors of the Baguio Arnis All Stars got a bit nervous being first timers in the said competitions and after learning that some former Philippine team members are present to compete. But in the course of the event the Baguio Arnisadors got a hold of their emotions and gained confidence which may have caused an adrenaline rush and pushed them to perform exceptionally well after the hype of the performance of the “Anyo” participants of the team.

The coaches and trainers of the team could not help but be happy and proud as each and every one of the Baguio Arnis All Stars showed extraordinary performances bringing their A game in every match fought and exerting extra effort to finish their “anyo’ routine. As I openly announced what would happen happened, basing from the training and the preparations the players have undergone. I strongly proclaimed each of them would perform even better in competitions far from what they show in training to which my fellow coaches agreed. We were not disappointed as the crowd became the very evidence of that belief. The team earned applause from the audience and earned them congratulations from members of the other teams even from the president of the NSA Arnis Philippines sir Raymond Velayo and General Secretary Quiambao who were present to oversee the whole event.

Here are the members of the Baguio Delegation that have brought home another honor for the City of Baguio;

Coaches: Jayson Vicente; Ayatollah Gadaoni; Donny Calaunan;

Athletes: Alvin Abalos; Cindy Abegail Monte; Manly Bayona; Al Clinton Lumabao; Florentina Pascual; Jhefty Ciano; Norielyn Joy Sagun; Lorenz Fernandez; Lira Acachang; Jana Kaye Balicdang; Danica Caw-is; Vince Cleine Jimenez; Ian Thomas Manalo; Saskiah May Pascual; Triztan Karl Ribo; Psalmir Padopad; Benhur Cabrera; Lee Alitag; and Dennis Deo-ay;

Prefects/parents: Maria Everdina Deo-ay and Esther Alitag.

The team wants to extend its sincerest gratitude to Baguio City National High School Principal ma’am Elma D. Dona-al; Orttez Gabol, Master Teacher II and OIC sports coordinator; SPS Arnis coach Alfredo Tolentino; Easter College principal ma’am May Layag; University of the Cordilleras Athletic Director Ruel Costina; University of Baguio Athletic Director Ed Laureano and their coach sir Ceasar Badicao; National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT) school administrator sir Vladimir Cayabas and of course Mayor Mauricio Domogan and City Sports coordinator Gaudencio Gonzales for their support to the team.

The sport of Arnis may seem just an extracurricular activity for these young athletes/students. But for their coaches they see this as a major augmentation in the honing of their character as a person. This may very well be the reason that authorities of their respective school support them in these undertaking. Unlike other kids who find time after school to play with their friends or go gallivanting, these young Arnisadors of the Baguio Arnis All Stars know better and instead find refuge in Arnis.

Congratulations to the delegation that defended the title for Baguio this year. Congratulations to their school principals, teachers, parents and friends. What we have are young individuals who are willing to train harder to achieve something for themselves to make us all proud. They may fail at times before they triumph but we must always be with them in failure or in victory.