90 athletes train at NRSCC for Batang Pinoy Nat’l Finals

Lingayen – Ninety (90) athletes of Team Pangasinan are now undergoing in-house training and conditioning at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) provided by the provincial government in preparation for their participation to the forthcoming Batang Pinoy (BP) national games slated on November 27 to December 2 in Cebu City.

            The Pangasinense athletes – 16-year-old and below – won in their respective sporting events during the BP – Luzon Leg held last July in Malolos City, Bulacan.

            Athletes who will compete in the national finals of Arnis, Athletics, Cycling, Boxing, Chess, Karatedo, Lawn Tennis, Sepak Takraw (girls), swimming, taekwondo, volleyball (boys), basketball 3/3 (girls) and wrestling will undergo in-house training from November 14 – 22.

‘Team Pangasinan’ which taps the best athletes from various towns and cities in the province was conceptualized by Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. to become the official delegation of the province in Batang Pinoy, a grassroots development program of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for the Filipino youth.

            Provincial Sports Director Modesto Operania said that Governor Espino released the marching order for the conduct of the training to assure that Team Pangasinan will field competitive and well-conditioned contenders in the BP national games.

In a briefing before the training, Operania told 31 coaches and trainers from various DepEd schools divisions in the province: “We aspire to maintain or level up our over-all performance in the national finals, so we must double our efforts in preparing our athletes.”

Over the past four years, Team Pangasinan was able to improve its performance in the regional, Luzon leg and national games in a field of hundreds of participating delegations.

Team Pangasinan’s exemplary performance in the national games has been reflective of its placements in the over-all ranking from 2011 (18^th place), 2012 (15^th place), 2013 (11^th place) and 2014 (9^th place) in a field of hundreds of participating local government units from the entire country.

Governor Espino is expected to lead the send-off ceremony of Team Pangasinan on November 23, Monday at 10AM at the Health and Wellness Center within NRSCC.

/Mark Gerry Naval Oblanca