CEBU CITY (Feb. 21, 2024) – Local leaders should nurture young athletes by developing programs to encourage them to pursue their craft.

Edward Hayco, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner, said his advocacy to promote grassroots development could serve as a template for local leaders in building up their own sports program.

PSC commissioner Edward Hayco. | 📷 Screengrab from Sugboanon Channel’s Youtube channel

“The real coaches and athletes are in the provinces, in the bundok-bundok ug kilid-kilid, waiting to be recognized, realized and nurtured,” Hayco said during an episode of Pagtuki, Pagsusi, Pagsuta (Check, Verify, Validate) over Sugboanon Channel.

Hayco, who formerly served as Cebu City Sports commissioner, said his advocacy to train young Cebuanos in the art of dancesports became his inspiration to push for grassroots development in the national level.

Aside from his own personal experience, Hayco was also inspired by the exploits of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who became the country’s Olympic gold medallist.

He said Diaz’s experience training in her native Zamboanga inspired him to promote the decentralization and regionalization of the training of national athletes.

“That is there national habitat. They must have grown their physique and athleticism in their habitat,” Hayco told PPP host Vilma Andales on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz. | 📷 ESPN

He said that majority of the 2,000 members of the Philippine national team and their coaches are living in the provinces and have honed their talents there.

“We asked them kung taga Manila o probinsya ba sila. Around 80 to 90 percent of the coaches and athletes told us that they were from the provinces,” Hayco added.

He and PSC officials even visited Diaz’s hometown to experience how she and her fellow athletes trained.

Superhighway

Hayco also envisions in developing an avenue for young athletes from the provinces to get a chance to become members of the Philippine national team.

Hayco said the PSC has recently partnered with the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) to strengthen its grassroots program.

Partnership. Hayco (seated, leftmost) joins PSC officials after the signing of an agreement with the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) for a grassroots sports developments partnership at the University of Sto. Tomas on Jan. 12, 2024. With Hayco are (from left) PSC chairman Richard Bachmann, PRISAA National Vice Chairman Rev. Fr. Jessie Pasquin, and PRISAA 2024 National Games President Edgar Balasta. | 📷 PSC website

He added that PSC is also set to sign a partnership with the State Colleges and Universities Athletics Association (SCUAA).

Hayco said the partnership with PRISAA and SCUAA aims to create a “superhighway” for young athletes from the public schools to get an opportunity to continue honing their talents.

“Part of the MOA is for this universities to adopt athletes from public schools that have the potential,” he added.

Hayco said that currently, around 80 percent of athletes in the elementary and high school level couldn’t pursue their dreams beyond college because of the lack of avenues that could lead them to the national team.

“So we are now tying up with them to create a national highway, a superhighway that would serve as an avenue for athletes to enter the national team” he added.

LGU support

Hayco said that the local government units (LGUs) also play an important part in developing local athletes.

He said that the PSC has organized a “National Grassroots Summit Workshop” that aims to train local leaders and even sports officials on how to collaborate and develop their own sports program.

Hayco said he was happy that in Cebu, some local leaders are taking the lead when it comes to developing their own grassroots sports program. | PPRMN / jkv