TOP executives of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) lauded the Philippines men's national ice hockey team for winning a men's division 2 bronze medal in the recently-concluded 2017 Winter Asian Games in Sapporo, Japan.
The Facebook status that PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez posted last Sunday, February 26, on the ice hockey team's bronze finish generated a lot of congratulations and cheers. He and PSC Chairman William "Butch" Ramirez led in the cheering for the team.
But of course, everybody cannot be pleased so there is this one comment that seemed to be out of place, downplaying what the ice hockey team just accomplished, saying that the bronze did not even count in the official medal tally. Yes, only the men's top division medals were counted - gold for Kazakhstan, silver for South Korea and bronze for Japan.
Our men's national ice hockey team, composed of selected players from Islanders, Manila Sharps, Omni Hockey, Manila Griffins and Cricket Lighters, crushed Macau, China, 9-2, in their battle for third while Turkmenistan routed Kyrgyzstan, 7-3, in the championship match.
For a first-timer in the Winter Games and being in a tropical country, winning a division 2 bronze was indeed a feat. Never mind if the medal was not counted in the overall medal ranking.
What the men's national ice hockey squad achieved deserved congratulations. The team showed how Filipinos can adjust fairly well despite difficult circumstances and to be competitive against the best of Asia. Who knows that with more competitions and exposures abroad, they will soon make it to the men's top division. They started with something for us to hope for.
Filipinos, indeed, can play ice hockey. They can win a medal, too.
Never mind if it's in the men's division 2, at least, for this time. Two or three years from now, with improved skills and more dedication and passion, we will see the team soar to even greater heights.
Cheers to the men's national ice hockey team! Don't mind the crabs.