Thursday, November 29, 2007 New Visayas swim group gets one more member
IN A meeting to map out programs for next year, the newly-formed Visayas School Swimming Association (Vissa) grew one size bigger as an out-of-town team expressed its intent to join.
Coach Manuel Fernandez of Tagbilaran City confirmed his intention to join the group that aims to provide competitions for schools and clubs that could not join Philippine Amateur Swimming Association-sanctioned (Pasa) competitions.
Pasa, the national governing body for swimming, will not allow teams, coaches and swimmers that are not registered with them to join their competitions. These unregistered teams refused to sign with Pasa because according to them, they find the fees too expensive.
Fernandez then proposed that Tagbilaran will also host one competition next year.
The calendar of activities was finalized during the meeting, which was headed by president Domingo Amante.
Officer Bas Ceballos said they took into consideration the existing schedules of regional and national games like the Milo Little Olympics, Cebu City Olympics, Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. and the Novice competitions spread out all over the year.
The first thing on the calendar is the Inter School Competition on Jan. 12, followed by the one in Dumanjug in February.
The next one will be hosted by Cebu International School in April. University of San Jose-Recoletos will host another event in June, while Tagbilaran won the bidding for July.
It was also agreed that the events for all the competitions of Vissa will follow the format and events that are in the Palarong Pambansa.
“Since one of our objectives is to develop potential swimmers for the national team, we might as well adopt to the events of Palaro,” coach Benjoe Gimenez said during the meeting.
Apart from the competitions, Vissa will also be coming up with activities that will involve the parents.
“The group unanimously agreed to involve the parents in all its activities. We will conduct seminars to orient them not only on the parents-coach-swimmer relationship but also to teach them in officiating,” Ceballos added. (MCB)
