Saturday, June 30, 2007 Cesafi games to kick off Olympic style By Marian C. Baring Sun.Star Staff Reporter
LAST year, the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) raked in hefty gains from gate sales.
Because of this, a first for the Cesafi books, the opening ceremony veers the limelight from basketball and expands its coverage on all events of the meet.
Cesafi’s usual kickoffs in the last six years were held right before the basketball games. There is a separate opening when the auxiliary events start.
“Before, basketball starts ahead of the others because this is the most watched event and we depend on its gate sales to help support the opening of the other events,” said University of Cebu athletic director Bernard Ricablanca.
Ricablanca said that with what the Cesafi earned last year, it can now stand on its own.
This year, although still pending the approval of the board of directors, it will have an Olympics feel and will be held at the Cebu City Sports Center oval, in the afternoon of Aug. 4 instead of on the basketball courts.
“This will erase the notion that Cesafi is merely a basketball league and will give a bigger picture that we also give as much importance to the other events,” said Ricablanca.
Cesafi holds events in athletics, swimming, basketball, volleyball, football, lawn tennis, table tennis, dancesport, taekwondo among others. Cesafi also serves as the selection event that will make up the Cebu team competing in the Private Schools Athletic Association.
This year’s host will be University of Southern Philippines Foundation, whose top honcho Rolly Villa, was named Cesafi president for this season.
“Our concept will be an Olympic-style opening ceremony, where we gather all athletes from all events parading and with the usual colorful presentations,” Ricablanca said. This year’s motif and theme will still be discussed in this Monday’s meeting of athletic directors and choreographers.
