Fair Play: Bowling for bowling in schools

(This is my Fair Play column for Sun.Star Cebu's Sept. 3 edition)
HERE’S something a bit ironic, bowling is the only sport where we won an Olympic gold medal, but we don’t have bowling in any of our school leagues, Palarong Pambansa or even in the meets organized by the sports bodies.

In the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Arianne Cerdeña won the gold when bowling was a demo sport and of course, we all know who the legendary Paeng Nepomuceno is. They are but two of the many world-class bowlers from the Philippines and that we have so many shows how good we are at the sport despite its absence in the school leagues or other meets, the usual breeding ground for Olympians or national team players.



Don’t you think it’s time for bowling to be included in the school leagues like Cesafi? Giving our top bowlers like Alexis Sy and GJ Buyco among a few the recognition as student athletes of their schools?

I think so and with two active organizations in Cebu in the Cebu Tenpin Bowling Association (Cetba) and the Bowlingplex Tenpin Associaiton (BTA), it’s easy to gather the stakeholders and have them organize the tournament for the Cesafi.

Heck, they already hold monthly tournaments--where students also join--it’s a matter of tweaking them to make it an inter-school contest at first.

No, now is not the time to think of scholarships because to be frank, the demographic in the sport are well-to-do, it’s about organizing teams in schools that they’d have enough players for a bowling tournament for Cesafi members.

From there, they can take the next step of recognizing the bowling teams, should they be organized this year, as part of the school varsity for next year.

One advantage about doing this is that the local groups are organized already and the national group is free of factionalism, which you can’t say for other sports.

And of course, it benefits members of the local community, too, since coaches will be needed should schools decide to put up their own teams.

Bowling is one sport where Filipinos have excelled in the global stage and will continue to excel. Having it as part of the school leagues will increase the player base exponentially.

If that happens, and if the sport finally becomes a regular Olympic sport--as is the plan for the 2020 edition--perhaps the search for our Olympic gold will end soon. And perhaps the one who finally wins that elusive gold will be one who started as a member of a school varsity.

Think about it.


Comments

Unknown said…
Mike, I just came home and when I opened the tv I was very surprised to see that the crowd at RMS is very sparse. I am really disappointed. If it weren't for a nearing exam week for my kids, I would have brought them to watch. It's just frustrating. The trend of football is going the way how badminton first zoomed to popularity and only to die later. If our players are dying playing for the country, why cant we support them by being at the stadium? Why support the Philippines most popular sport when the players dont want to play? Im just saying. Its really time to bring the games back to Visayas where the birth of Azkals mania began. Lets not cater anymore to those who wouldnt support the team
Unknown said…
Mike, I just came home and when I opened the tv I was very surprised to see that the crowd at RMS is very sparse. I am really disappointed. If it weren't for a nearing exam week for my kids, I would have brought them to watch. It's just frustrating. The trend of football is going the way how badminton first zoomed to popularity and only to die later. If our players are dying playing for the country, why cant we support them by being at the stadium? Why support the Philippines most popular sport when the players dont want to play? Im just saying. Its really time to bring the games back to Visayas where the birth of Azkals mania began. Lets not cater anymore to those who wouldnt support the team
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.

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