Limpag: Will USJ-R and USC change their minds?

CITING threats of the coronavirus, the University of San Carlos and the University of San Jose-Recoletos pulled out its teams competing in the AboitizLand Football Cup.

USJ-R cited the Department of Health Feb. 7 memo, where it discouraged public gathering. On the other hand, USC pointed out that the conditions of a football match, grass-less pitch and all, makes for a petri-dish for virus transmission.

Though surprising, both decisions make sense from the point of view of the school. As school officials, their main concern is to protect their students and if by pulling them out means they can protect them, they’ll do so.

But still, I’m hoping the two schools will change their mind. USJ-R cited the DOH memo in its own memo to its coaches and said unless the DOH says otherwise, it will bar its students from public sports events.

However, the DOH has issued a memo clarifying its Feb. 7 advisory. Though this is related to the Department of Tourism’s move to spur local travel, wherein the DOH said it is not against public gathering just as long as precautions are taken, we could use this for sports events.

The Men’s Open division has been hit the hardest as it lost USC and will lose USJ-R. However, I’m hoping that can still be salvaged as a seven-team Division 1 is a lot better than having just five teams.

DUAL ATHLETES. Growing up, it was not unusual for us to pick up more than one sports considering we grew up in a small town and had easy access to sports facilities. That’s not the case in Cebu so having two-sport athletes is rare. Still, excelling in one is difficult enough, excelling in two is quite a feat and that’s why what Roygbiv Barro is doing is quite impressive.

The football star is now making heads turn in a different sport, practical shooting. A few of his coaches told me of his change a couple of months ago and you can feel the sense of pride they have on him.

Barro will be joining the Lorenzana Cup in T’boli South Cotabato next month and is hoping to finish in the top four to make it to the Philippine team that will see action in the IPSC World Shoot XIX in Thailand later this year.

From football to shooting. That’s quite an impressive shift.

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