Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Guardo still happy with performance
WHEN it comes to sports, Jonathan Guardo’s coffers remain free-flowing.
Despite the poor output of the lean Cebuano team in the International Children’s Games (ICG) last week in San Francisco, California, USA, Guardo said he had not regretted gathering the team to join in that competition through his Greater Cebu Sports Organizing Committee (GCSOC) program.
Guardo had always pushed Cebuano athletes to join international meets such as the ICG and the Arafura Games in Australia starting from the time when sat as the chairperson of the Cebu City Sports Commission until two years after he stepped down.
“Competitions are always tough in the ICG. It always had been. But we can’t make champions overnight so we have to keep doing this until we finally have champions,” said Guardo.
Trip
In this endeavor, Guardo shelled out P500,000 for the delegation’s trip, which includes lawn tennis and table tennis players, coaches and some officials.
Last year, the GCSOC pulled off the best finish for the Philippines so far in the Arafura Games with 11 medals. In this year’s ICG, the team will be coming home empty-handed.
“Just because we lost does not mean that we stop. We have to move on and keep the momentum of the program going,” he added.
Delegation
“We had a very lean delegation but I am proud that we are always a participant in major sporting meets for the young athletes. I am not discouraged at all because I know someday, we will make successful players out of this program,”
Guardo said.
Guardo believes that young players need to be exposed to how games are played abroad as it helps in their development as athletes and the only way to do it is when private individuals do their part.
“If we don’t organize these kinds of trips for our kids, then who will? It is important to help out and be involved?” he added. (MCB)
