First Provincial Summer Games

This commitment to partner with the local government units for the student-athletes and coaches plays an important role to keep the momentum of the commission’s Grassroots Sports Development Training Program.

As a head-start, the commission kept the athletes and coaches loaded for the first 3-day province-wide summer games held in the town of Balamban last May 20-22.

There were 20 participating local government units including Minglanilla, Argao, Oslob, Dumanjug, Barili, Aloguinsan, Balamban, Asturias, Tuburan, Bantayan, Sogod, Catmon, Carmen, Compostela, Liloan, Cordova, and the cities of Naga, Talisay, Danao, and Mandaue.

Around 700 athletes competed for the 13 events on athletics, badminton, baseball, softball, basketball, boxing, futsal, chess, karatedo, lawn tennis, taekwondo, and volleyball.

“This step of the commission is to expose the athletes to their desired sport even during summer,” said Commissioner Jessica Honoridez.

Honoridez also expressed her gratitude to the provincial government for making sure that sports is given an importance. “Malipayon mi sa commission kay naa gyuy suporta, mas hayag ang kaugmaon ug mas klaro ang mga programa alang sa atong mga sugboanong atleta.”

The student-athletes who will display an exceptional performance may be pooled to represent the province for upcoming tournaments.

Fifteen year old Cedrick Peras from Dumanjug shared that playing basketball kept him from indulging into computer games. “I love playing my sport and I am thankful that I am included to represent our town.”

For lawn tennis players Jelly Maano, Jean Sarap, and Sharmaine Monado from Tuburan, giving up is definitely not in their dictionary.”Nagsugod mi og training since grade three ug bisan sige mi og kapildi, dili gyud mi mo-undang kay basin og kung kanus-a mi ni-undang, makadaog na unta mi,” the players shared.

Sharmaine’s mother, Leah Monado said her daughter is disciplined and determined; characters that she developed because of her sport. It is also her motivation to be able to go on to college.

For Commissioner Jessica Honoridez, the province has become the pool of excellent players that compete in the national scenes.

“If there are offers outside the province, we let the kids and parents decide but for us coaches, kung magtanom kita og gugma, anihon usab nato ang gugma gikan sa atong mga Sugboanong atleta,” Honoridez said.