Monday, July 16, 2007 Stopover, stress buster By Luis A. Quibranza III USJ-R Masscom Intern
KIDS these days.
Whether we like it or not, most of us are into the “rock and roll” lifestyle. Chill, relax and be contented with being a bum once in a while. After all, we’re young, right?
Some of us have to admit it, though. All these late night parties, workload at the office or school are bound to take its toll on our health. The truth of the matter is: just because you’re young doesn’t mean you’re healthy and fit. So pack your bags, put on those rubber shoes and come with me to this place.
The Cebu City Sports Center-more popularly known as the Abellana sports complex-is located right in the center of the city. To a lot of young people, it serves as a stopover, an oasis of sorts where they can release their stress through various sports activities after a long day at work or school.
For only P15 per entry, one can either jog or find his own sport in the 14-year-old facility, the only stadium in the city.
The complex has become a favorite destination of the athletes for their training; the stress-laden professionals for their daily shot of endorphin; and for the young to simply have fun whether in the company of friends or all by their lonesome. Everyone is bound to find a jogging or a badminton partner, anyway.
The sports center is loaded with programs that can tickle your fancy. It is where you get to do things an average guy or gal wouldn’t be able to do in their homes. For instance, it’s not everyday that we can jump in and be completely submerged in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
The track oval is its main attraction, with its center doubling as a soccer field and an area for other sports activities. Here we find people from different walks of life, running and jogging (no pun intended) to their heart’s content. Get your sneakers to burn rubber and feel the gentle breeze brush against your face as you run to the beat of the loud music playing while the Tae-bo sessions go on.
For the guys, a hard court game of hoops can be played.
A form of exercise that was particularly designed for the girls, belly dancing perhaps shares the spotlight with badminton as the most popular program at the sports complex. For only P50 per one-hour session, you might just find belly dancing a fun way to relieve yourself of stress while burning those calories away. Boxercise is the center’s latest attraction, and interest for it was attributed to the celebrity status given to Filipino boxers who gained fame abroad.
The sports center has become a recreational place even for foreigners who enjoy the pool and play a game of cricket amid the gentle evening breeze.
Popular or not among young people who want to stay fit, the Abellana grounds has evolved to become more than just a sports complex. It has become a community of Cebuanos who have found a way to improve their quality of life, at a very minimal cost.
