After dismal performance in regionals, Hayco tells boxing team to change old habits, improve

Monday, January 30, 2012

THE mediocre performance of Team Cebu City Boxing in the recently-concluded 2012 PLDT-Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) Visayas Area Championships at the Robinson’s Mall in Dumaguete City put the Cebu City Sports Commission on alert.

The CCSC is starting to formulate a program that might help improve the skills and talents of the amateur boxers from the former amateur boxing powerhouse.

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“Last year, we joined eight events and won two golds. This year, we joined five events only and won two golds. I’m not saying that we did better this year. But whatever the statistics are, the boxing team and trainers still need to re-assess their training program and culture,” CCSC chairman Ed Hayco told Sun.Star Cebu.

Cebu City won four gold medals in the Visayas qualifying stage held in Mandaue City in October 2010 and had eight fighters making it to the National Finals in Cagayan de Oro
City in January last year.

Only the gold and silver medalists get automatic slots to the National Finals, while the bronze medalist and the eliminated players may still get a chance to fight in the nationals if they would be picked by the Abap pool of coaches as wild card entries.

Last year, Jr. flyweight Jack Tepora and welterweight Daryl Pucdol gave Cebu City the gold medals during the national finals in Cagayan de Oro City.

This year the national finals will be hosted by Tagbilaran City on March 4-7.

“We are way, way off from running the program professionally. To be candid about it, old habits are hard to change. But we need to catch up with current training programs and (training) attitudes,” added Hayco.

Amateur boxing is one of the 11 grassroots sports development programs that CCSC will aggressively promote in the 80 barangays in Cebu City.

Hayco also said he has other plans to promote amateur boxing.

“We are even toying with the idea of a Guinness World Record of having the largest boxing class. (But) the main purpose of this is to put emphasis and awareness of the sport, discover new talents. Guinness is an attraction for kids to join, to be part of a historic event,” Hayco explained.

But all these things are still ideas.

“It may happen. It may not. But who knows? Chess was just an idea a year ago,” he said.

CCSC attempted to break a Guinness record for the biggest chess tournament, which gathered 43,157 participants. It is still waiting for Guinness’ verification.