Monday, May 12, 2008 Sumog-oy: Trivialization of sports By Ben O. Sumog-oy Issues and views
SPORADIC reviews of SummerKadahan, a district-wide youth sports program of Congresswoman Darlene R. Antonino-Custodio, are yet to hit rock bottom. Based on media reviews, it is still to rise above its anti-drug addiction label.
There is nothing wrong with it. The only problem is that such labeling trivializes the social functions of SummerKadahan as a sports program, which is also a social program.
Consequently, as a social program, SummerKadahan cannot succeed if it is just fitted against something; in this instance, a drug menace, or, if it is formulated merely to oppose the prevailing social trend.
A successful social program is one that pursues its own goals, rather than just acting as a counterposing force against another. Opposition to anything, no matter how repulsive, should not be the "be-all and end-all" of SummerKadahan.
In fact, Congresswoman Antonino-Custodio does not look at SummerKadahan through the lens of an "anti-drug addiction" framework. She explained: "SummerKadahan serves as a mechanism that would help mold a society where the youth are active, productive and leading partners in development."
Darlene is precisely correct!
Today, SummerKadahan has already taken a life of its own in the social landscape and its influencing power in the charting of the district's future could no longer be sidelined.
Historically, sports always play a prominent role in the growth of human civilization.
The Sumerians, over 5,000 years ago, were already engaged in wrestling, the first recorded sports event in history. Wrestling skills, in the absence of utensils, are important for the survival of human race. This only proves that sports adjust according to given realities.
Chariot-racing, shot put, discus throw, javelin throw, and archery were the sports events in Olympia (Greece) in the beginning 776 B.C. These sports events perfectly resembled the nature of the war during that period.
Sports virtues were strongly embedded in the culture of the Spartans that they are described exactly the way sportsmen are also being described: "People with a virtue of self-denial and self-discipline; who are heroically brave and enduring; and who have exceptional valor and fortitude."
Confident on the strength of its people, Sparta refused to build walls to secure itself from external assaults, declaring, thus: "A city is well fortified which has a wall of men and not of bricks."
Today, SummerKadahan could no longer be ignored. It now enjoys higher levels of popularity.
Its scope, in terms of demography and topography, is broad and wide-ranging. It involves a little less than 2,000 players, representing 78 barangays within the district, which is comprised of General Santos City and the municipalities of Polomolok, Tupi and Tampakan, excluding team managers and their assistants, coaches, referees and thousands of sports enthusiasts.
Under this program, basketball and volleyball tourneys start as inter-barangay competitions at the city or municipal level and, finally, settle to district-wide championship battles among and between municipal and city level's champions.
The program's growing popularity is attributable to its non-discriminating rules. Players could be either in-school or out-of-school youth chosen, from among others, to represent their respective barangays in the Junior and Senior divisions during publicly scheduled try-outs. Women, with age ranging from 15 to 20 years old, are also given a fair chance to be part of the volleyball team of their respective barangays.
The growing public support to SummerKadahan is attributable to its unique feature. Attendance to value formation seminar - centering on the ill-effects of drugs, cigarettes and alcoholic drinks - is a basic requirement for players' participation in the tournament.
SummerKadahan, now on its sixth year, should be given the justice that it deserves, with its significant role in economic development and in the maturation of our political life adequately given prominence.
Truly, the social functionality of SummerKadahan is not trivial. It intrudes into the political, economic and cultural dimensions of social life.
