Shifting Focus to Grassroots Sports Development
Sports and community development are linked on several levels that when properly harnessed, can improve the lives of citizens and promote healthy culture. Organized sports often stress the values of fair play and sportsmanship, and thus can make a real contribution in developing skills and talents.
Sporting activities have the potential to both reinforce and challenge existing inequities that have been aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic and other events for more than two years. At the same time, limited investment in grassroots hampers progress. Unsurprisingly, these and many other effects hit the most marginalized groups in society the hardest: the underprivileged and the children.
These are the people in the community that usually don’t engage in sporting activities because of several reasons. One is that they cannot afford having proper sports gear or equipment. Another reason is not having access to sports facilities. For sports to better serve society, we need to fundamentally change the way we resource sport, especially developmental sports which are more likely to create interest from talented individuals.
To be able to achieve this objective, long-term programs/activities should be created. To drive sustainable change, we need action – to fundamentally reshape sports programs and development to better serve all sectors of society. It is time to change the game – here and now.
The City Government of Sorsogon, headed by the very industrious and dynamic Mayor Ester E. Hamor did just that. With the youth development and underprivileged in her mind, the Mayor’s Cup/League was conceptualized. The program is under Sulay Sa Futuro, one of the priority programs in the Ten Plus One Agenda of Mayor Hamor. This will be a long-term sporting activity that aims to map young talents and develop them to be high-calibre athletes.
Learning Process
Process over Results – the more times that the people in our sports community have said this to the youth, the more that they have bought in. There are some games where the other team is just more experienced, more athletic, etc. During this period, it’s important to remember the goal is to learn and grow, not to win. Equally if not more important is that the coach and parents stay focused on the positives and have realistic expectations for the learning curve. As long as the players/athletes believe they are improving and feel a sense of accomplishment in what they do, they will continue to play. As players continue to come to clinics, camps, and sign up for travel league and summer league they will develop. The main key to player development is not a secret – hours of sweat and training. Meaning – hardwork and dedication.
The objective is to combat the overemphasis on early competitive success and the lack of a clear development pathway through the sport – two issues that exist across youth sports. Our obsession with sporting excellence and achievements over and above developmental outcomes continues to hinder the application of sport for development.
Sulay Sa Futuro, Sports League
An inclusive sports development program for grassroots was launched in April 2023. This is part of the Ten Plus One Agenda that cater to the grassroots. Target participants are elementary and secondary students and out-of-school youth.
Foundation for this objective has been laid down in advance. Construction of multi-purpose facilities even in the far-flung barangays have been carried out. Almost all barangays have covered courts/multi-purpose gymnasiums for indoor sports and other activities. Outdoor sports are also included to complete the package. The sports development program of the present administration enjoins the youth in the community to participate, learn and excel in their chosen sport.
Initial sports to be reintroduced to the community are as follows:
- Futsal
- Chess
- Table Tennis
- Badminton
- Taekwondo/Arnis
- Sepak Takraw
- Archery
- Volleyball
- Basketball
The abovementioned sports will be reintroduced to the community through coordination with local schools (elementary and secondary). Experienced coaches and mentors are being invited to participate in these various sports activities. Needed equipment and materials will be provided by the city government to implement these events.
The City Government of Sorsogon and Mayor Ester E. Hamor envisions to produce sports achievers and world class athletes in the near future. We can say that the future of sports in Sorsogon City is bright.
