Summer dads and moms

Aside from the extreme heat, you know its summer when you start bumping into your friends at the driving range or the sporting arenas, not because they are there to practice, but to accompany their kids.

Yesterday afternoon, while serving as driver and dakilang alalay to my son, my good friend Peter Militante also arrived at the Camp Lapu-lapu Driving Range with his two sons in tow for their golf lessons.

Several feet away many other children with their parents were there.

It’s really the time of the year when we get to bond with our children by playing supporting roles as they hone their sporting skills.

I’m sure the scenes are the same in the many summer sports clinics all over the country. Parents meeting fellow doting parents while watching their kids practice.

This is actually a good time for us parents to also get fit as we are already in the sports arenas and it would be easier to while the time away by also engaging in our own sporting activities.

You don’t really have to keep an eye on your child all the time since you can leave that to the coach and the assistants, who you have paid to teach your child.

This was actually how my buddies started playing football many years ago when we decided to spend the time waiting for our children in a manner that would also help us with our own physical fitness.

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Today, the Cebu volleyball community will gather at the Parkmall in Mandaue City starting today for the local beach volleyball tournament, which will be followed by the Nestea Beach Volleyball event in the next few days.

The beach volleyball court is located near Pier One, the restaurant, not the port, and can be easily spotted with all the red Nestea tents all over the place.

The officers of the Cebu Volleyball Association (CEVA) will be at the venue early today as we will also officially open the court, which will be a prime venue for beach volleyball events in Cebu.

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I got hold of the tickets for the 1st UP Cebu High School Batch ’84 Inc. Golf Tournament yesterday and they go for P2,000 each.

The good thing about it is that the organizers, who include my mistah Maj. Jeffrey Jake Gallenero, promise wonder giveaways for the participants.

The ticket also covers free snacks and dinner and the caddy fee.

This event is also open to junior golfers, but I still have to ask the organizers if they’d have a special division for our kids.

The event is set on April 30 at the Mactan Island Golf Club and tee off time will be from 6 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

The awards ceremony will be at 6 p.m. of the same day.

I am calling on all alumni and Tunobers as well as our friends to join this event, which the organizers said will be for the benefit of their various programs and services.

My class is still thinking of what we would do next year when it would be our turn to celebrate our silver jubilee.

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MILESTONES: Belated birthday greetings to Rev. Fr. Rogel Anecito L. Abais, S.J., my high school classmate, who turned a year older last Monday.

Belated happy birthday also to Kenneth Tan, who celebrated yesterday.

This was in the news yesterday afternoon, so I am congratulating Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado, who was named by President Gloria Arroyo yesterday as the incoming Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines when his mistah Gen. Alexander Yano will retire this June.

More power to all of you! THE FREEMAN)