PSC: We can learn from Korean sports

MANILA, Philippines - Two weeks ago, Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez sat down with a representative from the Russian Sports Ministry. Yesterday, the PSC chief opened the doors to experts from the Korean Institute of Sports Science (KISS).

Ramirez signed a Memorandum of Agreement with KISS president Young-Ok Park at the Philsports in Pasig, before Filipino coaches from close to 30 sports, each one accepting the invitation to learn from the Koreans.

“I am very happy to see all of you here and I hope this program will help you,” said the female president of KISS, which was put up in 1980 and since then has been focusing on developing Korea’s elite athletes.

KISS has a long history of success in the international arena, with impressive performances in the Asian Games and even in the Olympics. In the Rio Games last August, Korea won nine gold medals.

Of the nine golds, four came from archery, two from taekwondo and one each from shooting, fencing and golf. The South Koreans also won three silver and nine bronze to finish 11th in the medal tally.

The Philippines can certainly learn from the Koreans, and that’s the reason why eight officials from KISS, four of them doctors, are here for a two-day seminar on sports science, which started yesterday.

Aside from Young, also here for the visit are senior reseachers Yong-Koo Noh and Tae-Beom Seo, reseachers Seung-Hyun Hwang and Eon-Ho Kim, directors Seung-Nam Lee and Hyun-Joo Lee and manager Sung-Hee Woo.

The Koreans paid for their trip and provided the Filipino coaches with kits.

“I really hope this visit inspires us. We will never succeed without collaboration. No one can succeed alone. That’s why KISS is here to help us. We must continue to learn from other countries,” Ramirez told the Filipino coaches.

“I don’t believe that an old coach can no longer learn. So, try to learn from this. And learn by your own. Use your computers. Do more research and less Facebook,” said the PSC chairman, himself a coach in Davao City.

“But I never coached the national team and I never became a national athlete. That’s why you must consider yourselves fortunate,” added the PSC head at the start of the seminar that ran from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Two weeks ago, Ramirez met with Maxim Ananyin, the humanitarian attache from Russia and representative of the Russian Sports Ministry, and signed a separate MOU that will have the Russians sharing their expertise with Filipino athletes and coaches.

Ramirez said similar understandings are in store for the Philippines with countries like China and Spain.

Filipino coaches from archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, bowling, cycling, canoe-kayak, diving, gymnastics, golf, fencing, rowing, rugby, sepak-takraw, squash, Muay Thai, swimming, synchronized swimming, fin swimming, sailing, soccer, table tennis, triathlon, wrestling, wushu and Philspada wheelchair basketball and wheelchair badminton came to participate.