DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines – Sixty-three young Dagupanos finished their week-long training under the auspices of the World Archery-Philippines (WAP) at the Dagupan City National High School ground on May 6 as part of the city’s summer sports clinic for children
The youngest of the children is six-year-old John Carlo Garcia of Oakridge International School and the oldest is 20-year-old Christienne Elida Osting of the University of Luzon. Both availed themselves of the free archery training.
Nelson Fernandez, provincial coordinator of WAP, introduced archery in the city through Commissioner Finnela Sim of the Dagupan City Sports Commission (DCSC). Sim invited two coaches from WAP – Andy Villamor and John Hongitan, both from Baguio City – to train the children
The DCSC provided all the equipment used by the athletes in their training.
“It is our goal to produce more athletes in our city. Their exposure and training will help them develop their skills and talents while achieving their goal for excellence not just in their academics but also in sports where they can learn further to develop their mind and body with the kind of discipline that every athlete learns in the training,” said Fernandez.
She added that this discipline would play a big role in their development to be future leaders of the city.
Dagupan ranked second overall in the 2016 Region 1 Athletic Association last January, missing a medal in archery for having no representative or athlete to play.
“It is our dream to produce a team of archers who will represent our city in any local, national and international games,” said Sim.
Mayor Fernandez allocated P5 million for the city’s sports development program and intends to increase it in her second term of office to help the children develop their potential in sports.