Tuesday, November 18, 2008 Top BBEAL athletes, coaches feted in media sports awards By Roderick Osis
FORTY athletes including three coaches will be honored when the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) hosts the first Sports Media Awards (SMA) on Wednesday at the University of the Cordilleras (UC).
"We will have 47 awards including 40 athletes and three coaches to be feted during the awards," said BCBC president Pigeon Lobien of the event which will honor excelling athletes during the first semester of the Baguio Benguet Educational Athletic League (BBEAL).
UC athletic director Yul Benosa said the school is more than happy to host the event which will boost the morale of athletes with awards coming from institutions like the media.
UC will take 17 awards to tie Saint Louis University (SLU) for the most awards in the event backed by the Benguet Electric Cooperative, Rotary Club of Baguio-Sunrise and Fiona Cologne.
SLU, which earned two majors, however, had the most number of titles, sweeping the allied sports by winning both the men's and women's sides of badminton, chess and table tennis. It won in the men's side of archery for a seven gold splash.
UC got four golds in the men's and women's side of volleyball, sepak takraw and women's archery.
University of Baguio (UB) and Cordillera Career Development College (CCDC) halved the basketball sides with the former earning the women's crown, while the latter had the title in the men's side, considered the prime title in the nine school BBEAL.
UB has seven awards to finish at fourth, while CCDC got five. Philippine Military Academy got a single award.
Four other schools comprise the BBEAL in Baguio Central University, University of the Philippines, Pines City College and Benguet State University.
About 47 awards will be given during the awards afternoon on Wednesday including seven majors like most valuable players for basketball and volleyball in both sides, top allied athlete, top coach and rookie of the year in basketball.
There are also special awards in the mythical five in basketball, mythical seven in volleyball, top players in the various different allied sports and citation in basketball and volleyball coaching.
The SMA is a new project of the BCBC in partnership with UC.
"We will soon release the result of the awards, but not now. It will be a surprise," added Lobien.
