THE Davao City Athletic Association (DCAA) Meet 2018 concluded last weekend and winners were hailed and the city's qualified athletes to the Davraa Meet 2019 were determined.
What's next for these student-athletes? Barely three months from now, Davao City will host the regional meet set late in January next year.
Training needs to start soonest for the Davraa-bound Dabawenyos since the city's athletes comprise the bulk of the region's delegation who will then compete in the Palarong Pambansa 2019, which Davao City is also hosting in April.
This is a very crucial period. Being host to a huge sporting spectacle such as the Palaro carries with it an expectation that the delegation will do better in the overall medal tally aside from its hosting obligations with billeting quarters and playing venues, among others.
From ninth place in Ilocos Sur in April this year, Davraa should at least improve to seventh or sixth place next year. In 2017, the region finished seventh.
How Davao City athletes prepare now will determine how the region will fare in the Palarong Pambansa 2019, whether local government units (LGUs) in the region and Department of Education (DepEd)-Davao agree or not.
Davraa's drop to ninth in the Palaro was attributed by some coaches and athletes to short training period.
There is much that can be done with about three months left before the Davraa Meet 2019 commences.
We hope that DepEd Davao City and the city government of Davao put premium on the training of Dabawenyo athletes in standard facilities.
It was unfortunate that tracksters who competed in the DCAA Meet 2018 had to make do with the substandard track oval at Davao City National High School that went muddy due to the rains on the eve of the opening of the athletics competition. Uneven surface of the ground could be very dangerous, too.
Substandard facilities could affect the performance of athletes even during training. Worse, it could harm them. In athletics, it could slow down runners who may be trying to beat their personal best time or perhaps beat current regional and Palaro records.
The University of Mindanao (UM) already has an Olympic standard track oval but of course it would entail costs for city's athletes to train there.
We urge DepEd Davao City and the City Government of Davao to make necessary steps to give quality training and quality facilities for the athletes to train in considering that the Davao City-UP Sports Complex in Tugbok District might not be ready yet.
After all, they will not just be preparing for the Davraa Meet. They will be competing against the best of the country in the Palaro.