AGE is nothing but a number.
The recent win of Sen. Manny Pacquiao at age 40 is proof enough that age isn’t anything but a number at this time and age. During his last bout against Keith Thurman, we witnessed the same hand speed and agility from Pacman as if watching him go against Dela Hoya and Morales were just a couple of months back only. Those fights were already several years ago. Pacman snatched the WBA super welterweight title from Thurman last Sunday. There might have been some decline in his performance particularly in the later rounds when he seemed gassed, but his overall domination of Thurman spelled the split win for him.
Sen. Manny isn’t the only one defying father time in their sports fields. Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, at 34 years old, will be playing in his 17th NBA season in October is also not showing signs of slowing down. Before, 34 years old was already considered the “twilight” of one’s career. But the oldest active NBA player is Vince Carter of the Atlanta Hawks who can still showcase his highlight reel at 42.
Tom Brady, an NFL quarterback of the New England Patriots, is 41. Roger Federer and Serena Williams are still hitting the big shots in tennis at 37. Tiger Woods, at 43, is still fist-pumping in greens. And there is PBA’s “ageless” Asi Taulava who at 46 is still banging bodies with younger players.
In this current day and age, training and science have been employed to ensure the longevity of an athlete. Proper training regimens, pre, and post-game warmups, and stretches are crucial components of an athlete’s training.
For our budding athletes, don’t skimp on these. You will thank your coaches and trainers later in your careers. For our coaches, let us continue to learn and employ new training exercises in our clipboards. We don’t want to jeopardize the future of the athletes under our care. For schools and sports administrators, let us provide the maximum care for these athletes by investing in trainers and coaches as well as keeping them abreast with the latest trends in the science of training athletes through participation in forums and short courses.
Notes from the sidelines:
Belated birthday greetings to our sports boss, Marianne. Cheers to more years ahead!