Friday, August 15, 2008 Cebuano coach joins Pasa training
HAVING been registered with the national body for swimming, the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (Pasa), has its rewards as coaches and swimmers get to join trainings that help in their advancement in the sport.
Lone Cebuano coach, who is registered with the Pasa, Rolando Alvarez, is in Iloilo to take part in the Stroke Development Clinic, which is exclusive for Pasa-registered swimmers and coaches.
The clinic, which starts today, will be conducted by Ma. Teresa Espinosa-Escobar, a former national swimming champion, who now coaches at the Old Dominion swimming club, which has 250 swimmers, in Virginia, USA.
The clinic is tailored for coaches vying to upgrade their levels in the World Swimming Coaches Association ranking.
The three-day training includes season planning for stroke development, designing workouts for developmental swimmers, emphasis on starts and turns, stroke drill demonstration, which are modified for the young swimmers and basic dry-land exercises for kids.
The training will also focus on the fundamental competitive development for swimmers 10 years old and below and how parents could be involved in this.
“This is a great opportunity for us because it is not everyday that Filipino coaches, having distinguished themselves abroad, come home to share what they know with us,” said Alvarez.
Alvarez coaches the Cebu Blue Marlins Swimming Club, which is a group of young swimmers from different schools in Cebu. The CBM is so far the only club in Cebu that adheres to the calls of Pasa to become members of the organization and be part of its national program for swimming.
Meanwhile, in another note, with or without Pasa accreditation, nothing is stopping the Visayas Integrated Schools Swimming Association Inc (Vissa) from expanding it territory with an inter-school swimming tournament next week at the President Carlos P. Garcia pool in Tagbilaran City.
Hosting the event will be the Bohol Institute of Technology-International College.
The age divisions included in the competition are the 8 and under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-18 and the open division.
The Cebu City team will be bannered by Palarong Pambansa gold medal winner Loren Dale Echavez of University of San Carlos. She will be joined by teammate and fellow Palaro contender John Solon.
The Maria Montessori International School will be sending more than 30 swimmers led by John Paolo Pitogo, Myles Chi and Alyssa Madarang. Colegio Inmaculada Concepcion will be represented by Rey Lester Tungala. (MCB)
