Barangay Olympics

IN WHAT could be another first for Cebu sports, the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) is planning to hold an Olympic-type multi-event meet for the barangays next year.

CCSC chairman Ed Hayco said the meet is part of their grassroots program, which aims to help Region 7 win the Palarong Pambansa title in 2013 and to produce an Olympic-gold medalist in 2020.

The meet will also serve as the culminating activity of the CCSC series of sports workshops held in the different barangays in the past few weeks for kids seven and above.

The event, which is targeted to be held in summer, will complement the other multi-event meets held during the school year.

“There is no conflict because there are different levels of athletes. And we should not lose sight of providing the transformational experience to the grassroots,” Hayco said.

When he headed the Dancesport Team Cebu City, Hayco had a similar program, holding a dancesport tournament after a series of weekly workshops in the barangays.

Department of Education Cebu City Sports Coordinator Ricky Ballesteros, who also organizes the Milo Little Olympics Visayas Championships, said the barangay meet is a good help for local athletes.

“Daku kaayo ni og tabang because the more sporting events, the more ma expose ang mga athletes, the more ma develop ilang self-confidence. Kay mag-unsa na lang ang talent sa bata if they don’t have the confidence,” Ballesteros said.

He added that most of the Olympic-type events like the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi), Cebu City Olympics and Cebu City Milo Little Olympics are school-based.

“With a multi-event meet in the barangay level, we can tap the out-of-school youth. We may never know if our future Olympian is among these kids,” Ballesteros said.

He believes this can also encourage out-of-school youth to go back to school and if they excel, they can get scholarship offers.

“Basta lang dili magka conflict ang schedule. This is a very good development,” Ballesteros said.

Ballesteros also added it would be ideal to hold it during summer because it’s when most of the kids are idle. If this will materialize, they can help the kids, especially the athletes, have a continuous competitive tournament.