‘State of the heart’ Sports Institute a breeding ground of future champs

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City gets an added boost into its sports program as the newly-refurbished Cebu City Sports Institute is now fully functional.

Aside from Cebu City Sports Center, the City's developmental athletes can now also train at the Sports Institute where their training will not be interrupted by the paying public.

Mayor Michael Rama challenged Cebu City Sports Commission chairman Edward Hayco to transform the former San Nicolas Sports Complex into a breeding ground of Cebuano champion athletes in the future.

Rama led the formal turnover of the CCSI building yesterday together with the contractor Engineer Wilson Limquiao of Wins Construction.

Hayco admitted that at first, he wanted to quit when the idea came up, thinking the task of transforming the area was next to impossible. But after four years of renovation butressed by a P5-million budget, they converted the dirty and old sports facility into a new training spot for the City's athletes.

"This may not be a state of the art, but state of the heart. We are putting this up to institutionalize our grassroots program to the highest standard,” said Hayco.

More than their dream of developing athletes who can possibly produce that elusive Olympic gold for the country someday, Rama emphasized to the coaches and athletes that the facility can be a place for character building.

Rama said sports is a tool for character-building, discipline, as well as manners and right conduct.

Among the grassroots training program offered at CCSI include athletics, basketball, boxing, volleyball, badminton, tennis, table tennis, mixed martial arts, dancesport, and muay thai, among others.

An athletes’ dormitory is also available for future use of deserving elite members. (FREEMAN)