City offers free sports training

CEBU, Philippines - It’s going to be an unforgettable summer for the youth as the Cebu City Sports Commission is offering a free grassroots sports training program beginning April 11 in different barangays here.

This is the first time that CCSC will be providing a free training that features 12 sporting events.

The sports involved are athletics, arnis, basketball, volleyball, sepak takraw, scrabble, chess, dancesport, tennis, boxing and table tennis, plus aerobics.

“This is the most ambitious, genuine grassroots program of Cebu City. We hope to provide a fun for the kids and most importantly, a transformational experience,” said CCSC Chairman Edward Hayco in the event’s launching at Yayoy’s Grill yesterday.

There will be 60 training venues, 45 of which are barangay sports centers and 15 public school gyms.

Since not all barangays have a facility that can accommodate the different sports training activities, CCSC decided to cluster them wherein one barangay hosts two to four other barangays.

For those who are interested to avail of this free training, training venues are Binaliw, Mabolo, Inayawan, Basak Pardo, Bonbon, Pit-os, Lahug, Kalunasan, Banilad, Hopodromo, Pahina Central, Malubog, Sta.Cruz, Bulacao, Inayawan, Sambag 2, Day-as, Basak San Nicolas, Calamba, Cogon Pardo, Tisa, Pasil, Punta Princesa, T. Padilla, Zapatera, Tinago, Cogon Central, and Ermita.

The famed ALA Boxing Club is also volunteering to accommodate youngsters who want to train under them at the ALA Gym in Talamban.

The training at the Cebu City Sports Institute in San Nicolas will also continue.

There will be a total of six sessions per sporting event in each barangay.

Once completed, the volunteer coaches and trainers will move to another barangay for another set of training. For those who felt they did not have enough are free to go to the next barangay that is hosting the training.

One can also join as many sports he wants, making it a circuit sports training. CCSC officials are encouraging the youth to join the training without having to spend money for it.

“Imagine if you enroll you kids this summer for one sport, usually it will cost you P3,000. If you have four kids, you will need P12 thousand and that’s for one sport only. Here, you can join as many sports you want and you pay nothing,” Hayco added.

CCSC Commissioner Nimrod Quiñones for his part, assured that the trainers were screened even as they are just volunteers. They also underwent a training program themselves before they are able to train.

The trainees know-how will then be tested through the My City Games, an inter-barangay multi-sporting event set later this year.

Aside from that, highly potential athletes can also land in a spot in CCSC’s training pool.

In line with this development program, CCSC is also encouraging individuals or companies here or abroad to donate any sports equipment and gear. Anything donated will be utilized for the athletes’ training. (FREEMAN)