Saturday, June 30, 2007 UC explains vision to athletes’ parents
THE University of Cebu athletic department will meet the parents of its powerhouse varsity team players today at the Cebu Coliseum function room.
UC athletic director Bernard Ricablanca said that this project was conceptualized by UC basketball director Atty. Baldomero Estenzo, which Ricablanca adopted only recently.
“The purpose of this is to discuss the school’s vision-mission to the parents, more specifically slanted towards our athletic program,” Rica-blanca said.
Ricablanca said he wants the parents to understand the program to which their kids are signing up.
In UC, varsity players are called student-athletes, which Ricablanca said mirrors their thrust, that these kids are “students first before they are athletes.”
Ricablanca said they will forge partnership with the parents as the school shares the same goal of getting the kids through college.
“That is why we have this dialogue so that we can plot ways to help each other help the kids,” Ricablanca added.
Also to be discussed today are the benefits the athletes will be getting from the school and what is expected of them both academically and with their teams.
“There is definitely pressure in the sense that a lot is asked for from the athletes. They are expected to do good in school and with their sport. We want the parents to know that, so that they would not wonder why their kids are too tired to fetch a pail of water when they go home,” Ricablanca said.
He added that because he wants work with the parents, his office is open for anyone. “They could come to me if they have concerns about their children. They could ask for copies of their training schedule if they want to. They can suggest if they want to,” Rica-blanca added.
As of the moment, UC is supporting 300 athletes from 17 different sporting events. They have athletes in athletics, swimming, basketball and even the less popular events like weightlifting and arnis. (MCB)
